LIBRARY OF
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THE PRECIOUS AND SACRED
WRITINGS OF
MARTIN LUTHER
The Hero of the Reformation, the Greatest of the
Teuton Church Fathers, and the Father of
Protestant Church Literature
BASED ON THE KAISER CHRONOLOGICAL EDITION
WITH REFERENCE TO THE ERLANGEN
AND WALCH EDITIONS
EDITED BY
JOHN NICHOLAS LENKER, D. D,
IN CONNECTION WITH LEADING SCHOLARS
OF ALL PARTS OF THE CHURCH
VOL. X.
LUTHERANS IN ALL LANDS CO.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., U.S.A.
1905.
255921
\1ö3
LUTHER'S
CHURCH POSTIL
GOSPELS
ADVENT, CHRISTMAS AND EPIPHANY SERMONS.
TRANSLATED NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME INTO ENGLISH.
WITH INTRODUCTION, WALCH'S ANALYSES
AND BUGENHAGEN'S "SUMMARIES"
PROF. JOHN NICHOLAS LENKER, D.D.
AUTHOR OF "LUTHERANS IN ALL LANDS," TRANSLATOR OF
LUTHER'S WORKS INTO ENGLISH, AND PRESIDENT OF
THE NATIONAL LUTHERAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
VOL. L
Second Thousand
LUTHERANS IN ALL LANDS CO.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., U.S.A.
1905.
Copyright, 1905, by Prof. J. N. LENKER, D. D.
DEDICATION.
To the Memory of BARTHOLOMEW ZIBGBNBALG, the
orphan of Francke's Institute, Halle, Germany, the missionary
Paul of modern times, zvho zvas the first to carry the Gospel,
from Europe back to Asia, sailing from Copenhagen, Den-
mark, Nov. 2p, i/oj, under commission of the Scandinavian
King, Frederick IV, and landing at Tranquebar, India,
July p, iyo6; and there baptised the first Protestant con-
vert and erected the first Protestant church, and was the
first to translate the Scriptures and Luther's Writings
into the language of cultured heathenism ; and whose
letters and reports were translated into English by
Rev. Anton Wilhelm Boehme, the German Luther-
an pastor in London, thus laying the foundation
of the Heathen Mission Work in the English
World, the 200th Anniversary of zuhose work
the Protestant Church throughout the World
's nozv celebrating; to Ziegenbalg, the mis-
sionary Paul, zvho zvas also three times in
Africa and plead for the sending of the
first missionaries to the dark continent,
and was the first returned Protestant
missionary to visit Germany, Scandi-
navia and England; this volume of
Luther, the theological Paid, is,
with the hope that Ziegenbalg and
Luther may be honored together,
not only by all Lutherans
throughout the zvorld, but by
Protestants of all Denomi-
nations, most cheerfully,
prayerfully and respect-
fully, and in the name
of Christ, our Saviour,
DEDICATED.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
In sending forth this the first Enghsh translation of Lu-
ther's Advent, Christmas and Epiphany sermons of his Church
Postil on the Gospels, we gratefully record our hearty thanks
to the following and all others who have so promptly and
cheerfully extended their aid in trying to give to the English
speaking world "a classic translation of the classics of Protest-
antism" : To Rev. E. H. Caselmann, Secretary of the German
Iowa Synod, for translating the sermon of the first Sunday in
Advent ; to Prof. Carl Ackermann. Ph. D., Lima, Ohio, for the
sermon of the second Sunday in Advent ; to Rev. E. Gerfen,
Gibsonburg, Ohio, for the sermon of the third Sunday in
Advent ; to Prof. Hans Juergensen, of the German Depart-
ment of the University of Minnesota, for the sermon of the
fourth Sunday in Advent; to Rev. Geo. H. Trabert, D. D.,
Minneapolis, for the sermon of the first Christmas Day; to
Rev. John Sander, late professor of German in Gustavus Adol-
phus College, St. Peter, Minn., for the sermon of the third
Christmas Day; to Rev. B. Lederer, Chicago, for the sermon
of the Sunday after Christmas ; and to A. G. Voigt, D. D., Pres.
Theological Seminary, Mt. Pleasant, S. C, for the New Year's
sermon. The following brethren translated the Epiphany ser-
mon or treatise: Rev. E. Gerfen, §§ 1-79; Rev. E. H. Casel-
mann, §§ 80-112; Rev. S. Schillinger, West Alexandria, Ohio,
§§ 113-225, and Prof. W. A. Sadtler, Ph. D., Wartburg Semi-
nary, Dubuque, Iowa, §§ 226-334.
Minneapolis, ^Minnesota, December 21, 1905.
J. N. LENKER.
DEDICATION TO FREDERICK, THE ELECTOR,
Before the Postil, or the interpretation of the Epistles and Gos-
pels of the Advent Circle was issued in Latin in 1521,
and immediately translated into German.
To the most illustrious Prince and Lord, Lord Frederick, Elector
of the Holy Roman Empire, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave
of Thuringia, Marquis of Meissen, his most gra-
cious Lord, Martinns Luther, Atigustinian,
send grace and peace from Jesus
Christ, our Lord.
I do not know, most illustrious, most gracious Lord, at
whose door I should lay the fault that L having been hindered
day after day through numerous circumstances, have not been
able to comply with your wishes. Your Electoral Grace has
counseled well that I should turn from the quarrelsome, sharp,
and entangling writings, with which I have been engaged nigh
unto three years, and that I should occupy myself with the holy
and kindly doctrine, beside the work of the interpretation of
the Psalter, labor in the interpretation of the Epistles and
Gospels (which is called Postil) for the benefit of the ministers
and their subjects: you having been of the opinion that I,
burdened with such an amount of work, would the sooner attain
peace also against the attacks of my enemies. So noble is,
according to the peaceful name of Your Electoral Grace, the
natural soul of Your Electoral Grace that you have often
plainly told me how tiresome the quarrels and useless questions
concerning the goat-wool are to Your Electoral Grace.
I myself do not wish to say how I have been affected by
these storms and have been kept from my studies, so that I
desired to give my flesh and blood free play, yes, have not
abstained from answering these evil writings somewhat more
8 luthkr's church positl.
pointedly than is becoming to a clergyman. I hope, however,
just as I confess my guilt, that I may not reap the displeasure
of all those who think differently what fierce Lions of Moab,
what Rabsake of Assyria, what evil, poisonous Simei I alone
had to endure, to the detriment of myself and of many to whom
I might have been of service in the Word of God. In such
storms, however, I have always firmly hoped that I would
attain peace so that I could comply with the wishes of Your
Electoral Grace, through which the mercy of God has, without
doubt, done much good to the Gospel of Christ.
But now when I see that my hope has been a very human
thought and that, with every day, I sink deeper into the deep
great sea, in which there are numberless creeping animals that
help one another and are against me : then I also see that the
devil with such vexations of my hope had nothing else in view
but that I may finally abandon my purpose and would much
sooner have to go to Babylon than to furnish my Jerusalem
with armor's nourishment. This is his wickedness. In con-
sideration of it I have thought of the holy Nehemiah, and,
forsaking the useless visions of Ezra, the scribe, have begun
not to hope for peace, have prepared for peace as well as war,
have taken the sword into one hand, to fight my Arabs, and
wished to build the wall with the other, in order that I while
applying myself to one work only, may not fail in completing
both faster. For St. Jerome also says that not to with.-tand
the enemies is just as detrimental to the church, as if we would
only build. And the Apostle commands that a bishop ought
to be able not only to exhort the people in the sound doctrine
but also to convict the gainsayers. I do not say that I think
I am a bishop, for I have neither riches nor an island, which in
these days constitute the office of bishop; but that he who
adminsters the office of the Word of God ought also to be able
to fulfil the duties of a bishop, who must be capable with both
hands, as Ehud, and able to kill the strong Aeglon with the
left hand.
Thus I have boldly stood in the midst of swords, bulls,
trumpets, and horns, with which the Papists tried to terrify
me, and have not been vexed thereby, but have, through the
luthe:r s works in engush. 9
grace of God, applied myself to the work of peace, and have
begun the interpretation of the Epistles and Gospels which
Your Grace desires. For what could I not do to him who
strengthens me? When, indeed, I consider my own ability, I
would not trust to complete even the Psalter, even if I were a
Luther seven times; so much penetration, art, diligence, spirit,
and grace this book demands. And I do not wish to mention
the fact that I must preach twice every day besides all the other
affairs aside from the preaching of the Gospel, of which I not
even wish to think.
I fear, however, that this my work will not justify the great
hopes, which others have of it. Because there is nothing
holier in the hearts of all Christians than the Gospel, and that
most justly: therefore perhaps many will expect a worthy
and full interpretation. Thus a mountain finally bears a
mouse and a big conflagration becomes a small fire. I do not
speak of the fluencey and beauty of the Latin language; for,
just as I am inexperienced in these things, so I have written
not for those that are experienced, but for the common people
and those that have the Spirit, that are highly esteemed before
God, as Isaiah says, I fear their opinion, no matter how coarse
they speak, and especially that of Your Grace, which not only
is disposed to the Holy Scriptures and clings to them with
incomparable earnestness, but is also able to test the ability
of the most learned theologian to the utmost; not to speak at
all of the fact that the Romanists will mock Your Electoral
Grace with the deceit and lies of their bulls and catch you with
the wicked laws of their false faith.
I hope, however, that I shall do enough, if I uncover the
purest and simplest sense of the Gospel as well as I can, and if
I answer some of those unskillful glosses, in order that the
Christian people may hear, instead of fables and dreams, the
Words of their God, unadulterated by human filth. For
I promise nothing except the pure, unalloyed sense of the
Gospel suitable for the low, humble people. But whether I
am able to accomplish this, I shall let others judge. Empty
opinions and foolish questions, which are of no value, no one
can learn from use.
10 T uthkr's church postil.
Your Grace will kindly judge this my humble service not
according to my worthinessbut according to your favor, and will
long preserve itself, namely, the pious great Prince Frederick,
in the grace of Christ, for our sake as well as for the sake of
the Gospel of Christ.
Wittenberg, March 3, 1521.
LUTHER'S INTRODUCTION TO THE WINTER PART
OF HIS CHURCH POSTIL.
Concerning the interpretation of the Bpistles and Gospels from
the first Sunday in Advent to Epiphany, to Lord Al-
hrecht, Duke of Mansfeld, of the year 1521.
Together with a short instruction on what we are to seek and
look for in the Gospels.
To the noble, illustrious Lord, Lord Albrecht, Duke of Mans-
feld. Lord of Schrappeln and Heiderungen, etc., my
gracious Lord. Martin Luther. . .
Grace and peace of God, Amen. When the holy King
David intended to appoint the heir to his royal throne, he
established the rule that of his children the youngest son alone
was to possess the kingdom, in order that the kingdom of
Israel would remain whole and unseparated; and that, if the
family of the youngest son should become extinct, the next
youngest son was to rule in his stead. Thus he made Solomon,
liis youngest son, king before all the others and the kingdom
remained under Solomon's family up to King Joash, in whose
days the bloody queen Athaliah, with whose son, Ahaziah,
Solomon's family became extinct, killed David's entire family
so that no one remained but Joash, 2 Kings 11, who, being of
the family of Nathan, Solomon's youngest brother, was marvel-
ously saved by God, for Christ's sake, who, as was promised
to David, was to come from his flesh and blood. Although
this may seem contrary to the law of Moses, who gives to the
oldest son the rule over his brothers and two parts of the in-
heritance, still it was not contrary to it. For David's oldest
son. Amnion, had alreadv been killed bv Absalom, and it was
Luther's works in kngush, 11
necessary to establish this rule, because he saw that his sons
would quarrel as to who should inherit the kingdom ; and it
was done especially for the sake of typifying Christ, who is the
true Solomon and of all God's children the youngest and
littlest, as he himself says, Math. 11, 11, that there has not
risen a greater among them that are born of women than John
the Baptist, but that he who is but little in the kingdom of
heaven is greater than he : and this "who is but little" is no
one but Christ. No one has ever been so low and little as
Christ ; and therefore he alone can say : "Learn from me, I
am truly meek and lowly," which no saint could ever have said,
and no one could ever have claimed for himself the mastery
in lowliness and meekness. They all remain scholars under this
master. Thus also, when St. Paul says to the Corinthians:
^'Follow me," he immediately adds the true master, and says :
"Just as I have followed Christ," so that he does not picture
himself as Paul but Christ in himself and himself in Christ.
Therefore Christ also has been raised, and has been made a
king before all of his brethren ; and we and all Christians are
his brethren, as Ps. 45, 7 says: "Thy God hath anointed thee,"
that is, consecrated thee as king, "above thy fellows;" and
therefore Solomon's type has been fulfilled in him, yes, has not
only been fulfilled, but he has also been made an example that
we are to find the fundamentals of the Gospel truths typified
everywhere, which is that, when Christ says: "He that shall
humble himself, shall be exalted;" again: "If any man would
be first, he shall be last of all."
And the Gospel is nothing more than the story of the little
son of God and of his humbling, as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 2, 2 :
^'I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus
Christ, and him crucified."
I have mentioned all this, gracious lord, because it is> my
purpose to inscribe this book to the sovereign of those people
who are of my blood, and that it may not be deemed peculiar
that I, contrary to the usage of the world, have not begun
with the oldest but with the youngest lord of the family.
For the nature of this book, in which the littlest and youngest
has been pictured, demands that the introduction be like the
12 LUTHERS CHURCH POSTIL.
contents. And I do not only wish to talk of this doctrine of
the Gospel with words of mouth, but also wish to write a book-
let concerning it. For it is necessary for the lords in this world,
who live continually in the prerogatives and respect of their
high position, to think at times, according to the Gospel, that
they are nothing before God, and that it is as necessary for
them to think of this as it is for the others.
And, indeed, I ought to have shown myself as Your Grace's
subject long before this. But still the Gospel is before me and
says, without respect to the right and fancy of man : "The last
are the first, and the first are the last." And then I did not
wish to give those that are against me any occasion or reason
to think that I amstriving after my own honor or that of my
people ; since I have put stress upon the first doctrine of the
Gospel, which does not suffer, that we exalt ourselves, but
that we, as was said, lower and despise ourselves.
And as this introduction conforms in all points to the Gos-
pel, so the writer is also a despised and cursed person. Through
God's grace I am under the Pope's ban and have incurred his
very greatest displeasure, and also the curses and hatred of
his dear disciples, and I hope that it will be proper for me to
speak in this despised, small, insignificant book of the Gospel
of the littlest and most despised son of God and to abandon
the high, great, long books of the king of Rome with his three-
fold crown. And even if it were not proper; since all high
schools, monasteries and cloisters cling to the threefold crown
and neglect the youngest, smallest book, the Gospel : still need
demands and urges that at least one man labors upon the book
of the despised, crownless son of God, whether he will be suc-
cessful or not.
It surely will not fail completely. Your Grace has seen
the bull of Rome and the opinion of the Pharisees which un-
doubtedly have been permitted through a special dispensation
of God that the world may comprehend how mightily the truth
can be put to shame and blind its enemies, even through the very
works and words of these enemies. It has not been my wish
that they should act so foolishly and put themselves to shame ;
but still I gladly suffer it for the sake of the truth and because
LUTHKr's works IX ENGLISH. 13
of the proverb, which comes nigh unto the Gospel : The learned
are the perverted. The Gospel will come to the front and will
prove that the wise are fools, and the fools are the wise, and
that those who are called heretics are Christians, and those that
call themselves Christians, heretics.
I make mention of this, because I believe that Your Grace
will have to suffer on my account, and that the highly learned
and prudent disciples of the Pope will say that I am a disgrace
to your land, that is, an insignificant, truly evangelical, despised
Cinderella. For so diligently these holy people look for a reason
to slander and revile, so that on my account the pious, innocent
people of Sangerhausen have been put to shame, when it is as
yet uncertain, whether Kunz Schmidt or the gray sparrow are
the worse heretics or cats.
John Huss, Jerome of Prague, and many others in the Ger-
man Empire have been burned, but to this very day the Gospel
remains as before. It is commonly said of the Antichrist that
he will burn the Christians in fire, and this prophecy must first
be fulfilled. Therefore Your Grace will again think here of
the Gospel when you see that everything goes wrong and con-
trary to reason. What they call shame is honor, what they
call honor is shame ; and those that burn are worthy to be
burnt, and those that are burnt ought to be the judges; and
judges they will be on the last day, for then will be made
manifest what the prophet says, Ps. 18,26: "With the per-
verse thou wilt show thyself froward ;" because they act con-
trary to reason and judge unjustly, therefore will he justly
judge them contrary to reason. And herewith I commend you
and your entire land and all those that love the Gospel to the
grace of God, who may save you from human teaching and
keep you steadfastly in the divine doctrine in free Christian
faith. Amen.
Everything else that I have wished to say in this introduction
I have said in the following instruction, so that the letter may
not become too long. Your Grace will kindly judge my eflForts
not according to my worthiness but according to your favor.
Written in the desert, on the day of St. Elizabeth, A. D. 1521.
CONTENTS : ADVENT, CHRISTMAS AND EPIPHANY
SERMONS.
Pirst Sunday in Advent, Math. 21, 1-9 17
Christ Enters Jerusalem : or Faith ; Good Works ; and
the Spiritual Meaning of This Gospel.
Second Sunday in Advent, Luke 21, 25-36 59
Christ's Second Coming: or the Signs of the Day of
Judgment; and the Comfort Christians Have from
Them.
Third Sunday in Advent, Math. 11, 2-10 87
John in Prison : or Christ's Answer to John's Ques-
tion; His Praise of John; and the Application of
This Gospel.
Fourth Sunday in Advent, John 1, 19-28 114
The Witness and Confession of John the Baptist ; and
the Spiritual Meaning of His Witness.
Christmas. Luke 2, 1-14 134
The Story of the Birth of Jesus ; and the Angels' Song.
Second Christmas Day, Luke 2, 15-20 161
The Fruits and Signs of the Power of the Word of God.
Third Christmas Day, John 1, 1-14 171
Christ's Titles of Honor; His Coming; His Incarna-
tion; and the Revelation of His Glory.
St. Stephen's Day, Math. 23, 34-39 224
The Christian Teaching Concerning Reason and Faith.
Day of St. John the Bvangelist, John 21, 19-24 239
Everyone Should Honor His Calling and Be Content
in It.
Sunday After Christmas, Luke 2, 33-40 255
Simeon ; Anna ; and the Childhood of Jesus.
Neiv Year's Day, Luke 2, 21 308
The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus.
Epiphany, Math. 2, 1-12 319
The Story and Spiritual Meaning of This Gospel.
^IRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT, 17
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT.
This sermon is found in the Erlangen Edition, vol. lo, page i;
in the Walch Edition ii, i; and in the St. Louis Edition ii, i.
Text : Math. 21, i-p. And when they drew nigh imto Jeru-
salem, and came unto Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives,
then Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying unto them. Go into
the village that is over against you, and straightzvay ye shalD
und an ass tied, and a colt zvith her : loose them, and bring them
unto me. And if any one say aught unto you, ye shall say, The
Lord hath need of them; and straightzvay he will send them.
Now this is come to pass, that it might he fulfilled zvhich zvas
spoken through the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of
Zion, Behold thy King cometh unto thee. Meek, and riding
upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.. And the
disciples went, and did even as Jesus appointed them, and
brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their garments;
and he sat thereon. And the most part of the multitude spread
their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the
trees, and spread them in the zvay. And the midtitudes that
zvent before him, and that follozved, cried, saying, Hosanna to
the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of
the Lord; Hosanna in the highest,
CONTENTS: FAITH, GOOD WORKS AND THE SPIRITUAL
INTERPRETATION OF THIS GOSPEL.
I. CONCERNING FAITH. mor or warcry, but only
* In every Gospel lesson we are sing-ing], etc. 4.
to notice especialy two 4. By Christ's weeping over
thoughts: the works of Jerusalem. 5.
Christ as a gift to us and as 5. By quoting the prophets. 6.
an example for us. 1. II. How This Gospel in Particu-
I. How This Gospel in General li^^ v.^^^^,^ ^"*=^ Stirs Us by
Leads and Awakens Us in Zechariah, to Believe.
Five Ways to Believe. the Passages quoted from
1. By its pictures of Christ's ^' ^9^^^ '"'"'''^^' "^^^^ ^'''"
gracious advent. 2. o. By the words, "Daughter
2. By the pomp and actions of Zion." lOf.
of the disciples. 3. • Of faith.
3. By the fact there is no ar- a. Of the historic faith,
18
LUTHKK S CHURCH POSTII..
devils and the g-odless
have.
1. The nature of this
faith. 8.
2. How this faith avails
nothing-. 9.
b. Of the true faith.
1. The nature of true
faith. 10.
2. The work of true
faith. 11.
3. How this faith is con-
demned by the Pap-
ists and the godless.
12.
4. This faith gives God
true honor and
praise. 13.
3. By the word, "Behold."
14-15.
* Of faith.
a. Faith is governed not
by what it sees and
feels, but by what it
hears. 14.
b. The view of faith and
its reflections are con-
tradictory to reason
and nature. 15.
4. By the words, "Thy King."
16f.
* Out of Christ man is sub-
ject to many chafing tyran-
nies, but in Christ he is free
and safe. 16-18.
5. By the words, "He com-
eth." 19f.
* Of true piety.
a. It is not found in the
free will of man to be
pious, but God himself
must work it. 20-22.
b. How it goes when God
begins to make men
pious. 23.
* There is no greater
wrath than where God
withholds his Gospel,
and no greater grace
than where he gives
it. 24.
* No one can help him-
self, God alone must
help him. 25.
6. By the words, "Unto thee."
26-27.
* Believers have a twofold
grace from Christ. 27.
7. By the word, "Meek." 28.
III. An Appendix to This Part
Concerning Faith, in Which
Some Objections Are An-
swered.
A. The objections. 29.
B. The answers.
1. In general. 30.
2. In detail.
a. Of the first objection.
31-32.
b. Of the second obiection.
C. Of the third objection. 38.
33-37.
II. CONCERNING GOOD WORKS.
I. How the doctrine of good
works is connected with
the doctrine of faith. 39.
II. How and why good works
have no name. 40-41.
III. The world knows and un-
derstands nothing about
good works. 42.
IV. How and why good works
are readily distinguished
from the great, extensive,
numerous and beautiful
Avorks. 43-44.
V. What are truly good w^orks
and what are not. 45-48.
VI. What we are to answer the
Papists when they wish to
substitute their self-chosen
works for good works. 49f.
VII. Good works are to be learn-
ed from the example of
Christ. 50-52.
VIII. A judgment upon the good
works of the Papists. 53.
IX. Good works cannot help us
in tlie face of sin, death and
hell. 54.
X. What we are to answer the
Papists when they ascribe
the merit of salvation to
their good works. 55f.
* Wliere there is no love
ther is no faith. 55-56.
XI. Man should do good works
but not trust in them. 57.
* The Lesson Story and the
Jews' False Notions Con-
cerning the Messiah.
1. By what means God seeks
to remove their false
notion. 58.
2. In what this false notion
consists. 58.
3. How all the prophets, but
especially Zechariah,
have powerfully over-
thrown this false no-
tion. 59-61.
III. THE SPIRITUAL MEANING
OF THIS GOSPEL.
The spiritual meaning,
1. Of the procession, or that
Christ comes to Jerusalem.
62.
2. That Christ sends forth two
of his disciples as he comes
near to Jerusalem. 63.
3. That Christ comes unto
Bcthphage. 64.
4. That Christ commissioned
his disciples. 65.
5. Of the Mount of Olives. 66.
6. That Christ sends two dis-
ciples. 67.
7. That Christ does not name
the exact spot where he
sends his disciples. 68.
S. That Christ calls Jerusalem
a village. 69-70.
9. That the disciples find the
ass and colt without hunt-
ing for them. 71-72.
10. That Christ had them to
bring two, an old and a
young ass. 73-76.
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. i<J
11. That Christ told them to 18. Of the garments and the
loose them. <7. branches form the trees,
12. That Christ told his disci- they spread in the way be-
ples to bring them to him. , fore Christ. 90.
78. How a truly Christian ser-
13. Of the owners of the ass gf " ^^^^^^^ ^^- «^tlined.
and colt and the relation 19. of the spreading of their
of the disciples to these garments in the way. 92
owners. (9-Sl. 20. Of cutting the branches
^^^:?''i^ ^vf.^h^rf'^ifilf.H^u^ *'^'^^^ the trees and spread-
Gospel, he has fulfilled it. jng them in the way. 93.
°'^' 21. That the branches named
14. That the disciples place Je- were palm and olive branch-
sus upon the colt. 83-84. es. 94-97.
* Whether Christ rode upon * ^.H who are to be saved
the colt or its mother, or must be saved by Chris-
upon both. 84. tian faith. 97.
15. That Christ rides upon the 22. Of the multitudes that went
the colt and its mother fol- before him and that fol-
lows. 85-86. lowed. 97-98.
16. Of their garments the dis- 23. Of the Hosanna, that is then
ciples placed under Christ. sung. 99-100.
87-88. * An opinion on the perver-
17. That the disciples place Je- sion and misuse of the
sus upon them. 89. word Hosianna.
1. In the preface I said that there are two things to be noted
and considered in the Gospel lessons : first, the works of Christ
presented to us as a gift and blessing on which our faith is
to cling and exercise itself; secondly, the same works offered
as an example and model for us to imitate and follow. All the
Gospel lessons thus throw light first on faith and then on good
works. We will therefore consider this Gospel under three
heads: speaking first of faith; secondly of good works, and
thirdly of the lesson story and its hidden meaning.
I. CONCERNING FAITH.
2. This Gospel encourages and demands faith, for it pre-
figures Christ coming with grace, whom none may receive or
accept save he who believes him to be the man, and has the
mind, as this Gospel portrays in Christ. Nothing but the
mercy, tenderness and kindness of Christ are here shown,
and he who so receives and believes on him is saved. He sits
not upon a proud steed, an animal of w^ar, nor does he come in
great pomp and power, but sitting upon an ass, an animal of
peace fit only for burdens and labor and a help to man. He indi-
cates by this that he comes not to frighten man, nor to drive
or crush him, but to help him and to carry his burden for him.
And although It was the custom of the country to ride on asses
and to use horses for war, as the Scriptures often tell us, yet
20 luthkr's church tostil.
here the object is to show that the entrance of this king shall
be meek and lowly.
Again it also shows the pomp and conduct of the disciples
towards Christ who bring the colt to Christ, set him thereon,
and spread their garments in the way; also that of the multi-
tude who also spread their garments in the way and cut
branches from the trees. They manifested no fear nor terror,
but only blessed confidence in him as one for whom they dared
to do such things and who would take it kindly and readily
consent to it.
3. Again, he begins his journey and comes to the Mount
of Olives to indicate that he comes out of pure mercy. For
olive oil in the Scriptures signifies the grace of God that
soothes and strengthens the soul as oil soothes and strengthens
the body.
4. Thirdly, there is no armor present, no war-cry, but
songs and praise, rejoicing and thanksgiving to the Lord.
5. Fourthly, Christ weeps, as Luke 19, 41, writes, weeps
over Jerusalem because she does not know nor receive such
grace; yet he was so grieved at her loss that he did not deal
harshly with her.
6. Fifthly, his goodness and mercy are best shown when
he quotes the words of the prophets, Isa. 62, 11; Zach. 9,9,
and tenderly invites men to believe and accept Christ, for the
fulfilling of v/hich prophecies the events of this Gospel took
place and the story was written, as the Evangelist himself
testifies. Therefore we must look upon this verse as the chief
part of this Gospel, for in it Christ is pictured to us and we
are told what we are to believe, and to expect of him, what
we are to seek in him, and how we may be benefited by him.
7. First he says: ''TcU ye" the daughter of Zion. This is
said to the ministry and a new sermon is given them to preach,
namely, nothing but what the words following indicate, a right
knowledge of Christ. Whoever preaches anything else is a
wolf and deceiver. This is one of the verses in which the
Gospel is promised of which Paul writes in Rom. 1,2; for
the Gospel is a sermon from Christ, as he is here placed before
us, calling for faith in hi'm. »
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 21
8. I have often said that there are two kinds of faith.
First, a faith in which you indeed beHeve that Christ is such
a man as he is described and proclaimed here and in all the
Gospels, but do not believe that he is such a man for you, and
are in doubt whetlier you have any part in him and think:
Yes, he is such a man to others, to Peter, Paul, and the
blessed saints; but who knows that he is such to me and that
I may expect the same from him and may confide in it, as these
saints did?
9. Behold, this faith is nothing, it does not receive Christ
nor enjoy him, neither can it feel any love and affection for
him or from him. It is a faith about Christ and not in or of
Christ, a faith which the devils also have as well as evil men.
For who is it that does not believe that Christ is a gracious
king to the saints ? This vain and wicked faith is now taught
by the pernicious synagogues of Satan. The universities
(Paris and her sister schools), together with the monasteries
and all Papists, say that this faith is sufficient to make Chris-
tians. In this way they virtually deny Christian faith, make
heathen and Turks out of Christians, as St. Peter in 2 Pet. 2,
1 had foretold: "There shall be false teachers, who shall
privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master
that bought them."
10. In the second place he particularly mentions, "The
daughter of Zion." In these words he refers to the other, the
true faith. For if he commands that the following words con-
cerning Christ be proclaimed, there must be some one to hear,
to receive, and to treasure them in firm faith. He does not say :
Tell of the daughter of Zion, as if some one were to believe that
she has Christ ; but to her you are to say that she is to believe it
of herself, and not in any wise doubt that it will be fulfilled a»
the words declare. That alone can be called Christian faith,
which believes without wavering that Christ is the Saviour
not only to Peter and to the saints but also to you. Your sal-
vation does not depend on the fact that you believe Christ to
be the Saviour of the godly, but that he is a Saviour to you
and has become your own.
11. Such a faith will work in you love for Christ and joy
22 luthkr's church postil.
in him, and good works will naturally follow. If they do not,
faith is surely not present ; for where faith is, there the Holy
Ghost is and must work love and good works.
12. This faith is condemned by apostate and rebellious
Christians, the pope, bishops, priests, monks, and the univer-
sities. They call it arrogance to desire to be like the saints.
Thereby they fulfill the prophecy of Peter in 2 Pet. 2, 2, where
he says of these false teachers : ''By reason of whom the way
of the truth shall be evil spoken of." For this reason, when
they hear faith praised, they think love and good works are
prohibited. In their great blindness they do not know what
faith, love and good works are. If you would be a Christian
you must permit these words to be spoken to you and hold
fast to them and believe without a doubt that you will experi-
ence what they say. You must not consider it arrogance that
in this you are like the saints, but rather a necessary humility
and despair not of God's grace but of your own worthiness.
Under penalty of the loss of salvation, does God ask for bold-
ness toward his proffered grace. If you do not desire to
become holy like the saints, where will you abide? That
would be arrogance if you desired to be saved by your own
merit and works, as the Papists teach. They call that aro-
gance which is faith, and that faith which is arrogance ; poor,
miserable, deluded people!
13. If you believe in Christ and in his advent, it is the
highest praise and thanks to God to be holy. If you recognize,
love, and magnify his grace and work in you, and cast aside
and condemn self and the works of self, then are you a Chris-
tian. We say : "I believe in the holy Christian church, the com-
munion of saints." Do you desire to be a part of the holy
Christian church and communion of saints, you must also be
holy as she is, yet not of yourself but through Christ alone in
whom all are holy.
14. Thirdly he says: "Behold.'' With this word he rouses
us at once from sleep and unbelief as though he had something
great, strange, or remarkable to offer, something we have long
wished for and now would receive with joy. Such waking up
is necessary for the reason that everything that concerns faith
t'lRST SUNDAY IN ADVE^NT.
23
us against reason and nature ; for example, how can nature and
reason comprehend that such an one should be king of Jerusa-
lem who enters in such poverty and humility as to ride upon
a borrowed ass? How does such an advent become a great
king ? But faith is of the nature that it does not judge nor
reason by what it sees or feels but by what it hears. It depends
upon the Word alone and not on vision or sight. For this
reason Christ was received as a king only by the followers
of the word of the prophet, by the believers in Christ, by
those who judged and received hi's kingdom not by sight
but by the spirit — these are the true daughters of Zion.
For it is not possible for those not to be offended in
Christ who walk by sight and feeling and do not adhere firmly
to the Word.
15. Let us receive first and hold fast this picture in which
the nature of faith is placed before us. For as the appear-
ance and object of faith as here presented is contrary to nature
and reason^ so the same ineft'ectual and unreasonable appear-
ance is to be found in all articles and instances of faith. It
would be no faith if it appeared and acted as faith acts and
as the words indicate. It is faith because it does not appear
and deport itself as faith and as the words declare.
If Christ had entered in splendor like a king of earth,
the appearance and the words would have been according to
nature and reason and would have seemed to the eye according
to the words, but then there w^ould have been no room for
faith. He who believes in Christ must find riches in poverty,
honor in dishonor, joy in sorrow, life in death, and hold fast
to them in that faith which clings to the Word and expects
such things.
16. Fourthly: ''Thy king." Here he distinguishes this king
from all other kings. It is thy king, he says, who was prom-
ised to you, whose own you are, who alone shall direct you,
yet in the spirit and not in the body. It is he for whom you
have yearned from the beginning, whom the fathers have de-
sired to see, who will deliver you from all that has hitherto
burdened, troubled, and held you captive.
Oh, this is a comforting word to a believing heart, for
24 luttikr's church postil.
without Christ, man is subjected to many raging tyrants who
are not kings but murderers, at whose hands he suffers great
misery and fear. These are the devil, the flesh, the world, sin,
also the law and eternal death, by all of which the troubled
conscience is burdened, is under bondage, and lives in anguish.
For where there is sin there is no clear conscience ; where there
is no clear conscience, there is a life of uncertainty and an
unquenchable fear of death and hell in the presence of which
no real joy can exist in the heart, as Lev. 26, 36 says : "The
sound of a driven leaf shall chase them."
17. Where the heart receives the king with a firm faith, it
is secure and does not fear sin, death, hell, nor any other evil ;
for he well knows and in no wise doubts that this king is the
Lord of life and death, of sin and grace, of hell and heaven,
and that all things are in his hand. For this reason he became
our Icing and came dov/n to vis that he might deliver us from
these tyrants and rule over us himself alone. Therefore he
who is under this king cannot be harmed either by sin, death,
hell, Satan, man or any other creature. As his king lives
without sin and is blessed, so must he be kept forever without
sin and death in living blessedness.
18. See, such great things are contained In these seemingly
unimportant words: "Behold, thy king." Such boundless
gifts are brought by this poor and despised king. All this
reason does not understand, nor nature comprehend, but faith
alone does. Therefore he is called thy king ; thine, who art
vexed and harrassed by sin, Satan, death and hell, the
flesh and the world, so that thou mayest be governed and
directed in the grace, in the spirit, in life, in heaven, in God.
With this word, therefore, he demands faith in order that
you may be certain that he is such a king to you, has such a
kingdom, and has come and is proclaimed for this purpose.
If you do not believe this of him, you will never acquire suclb
faith by any work of yours. What you think of him you will
have ; what you expect of him you will find ; and as you be-
lieve so shall it be to you. He will still remain what he is,
First Sunday in advejnt. ^5
the King of life, of grace, and of salvation, whether he is
believed on or not.
19. Fifthly : He ''conicfli." Without doubt you do not come
to him and bring him to you ; he is too high and too far from
you. With all 3'our effort, A\'ork and labor you cannot come to
him, lest you boast as though you had received him by your
own merit and worthiness. No, dear friend, all merit and
worthiness is out of the question, and there is nothing but
demerit and unworthiness on your side, nothing but grace and
mercy on his. The poor and the rich here come together, as
Prov. 22, 2 says.
20. By this are condemned all those infamous doctrines
of free will, which come from the pope, universities ana
monasteries. For all their teaching consists in that we
are to begin and lay the first stone. We should by the power
of free will first seek God, come to him, run after him and
acquire his grace. Beware, beware of this poison ! It is nothing
but the doctrine of devils, by which all the world is betrayed.
Before you can cry to God and seek him God must come to you
and must have found you, as Paul says, Rom. 10,14-15:
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not be-
lieved ? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not
lieard? and how shall they hear without a preacher, and how
shall they preach except they be sent ?" God must lay the first
stone and begin with you, if you are to seek him and pray to
him. He is present when you begin to seek. If he were not
you could not accomplish anything but mere sin, and the
greater the sin, the greater and holier the work you will at-
tempt, and you will become a hardened hypocrite.
21. You ask, how shall we begin to be godly and what
shall we do that God may begin his work in us? Answer:
Do you not understand, it is not for you to work or to begin
to be godly, as little as it is to further and complete it. Every-
thing that you begin is in and remains sin, though it shines
ever so brightly ; you cannot do anything but sin, do what you
will. Hence, the teaching of all the schools and monasteries
is misleading, when they teach man to begin to pray and do
26 i^utiikr's church tostil.
good works, to found something, to give, to sing, to become
spiritual and thereby to seek God's grace.
22. You say, however: Then I must sin from necessity, if
by my free will I work and live without God ? and I could not
avoid sin, no matter what I would do? Answer: Truly, it is
so, that you must remain in sin, do what you will, and that
everything is sin you do alone out of your own free will. For
if out of your own free will you might avoid sin and do that
which pleases God, what need would you have of Christ? He
would be a fool to shed his blood for your sin, if you yourself
were so free and able to do aught that is not sin. From this
you learn how the universities and monasteries with their
teachings of free will and good works, do nothing else but
darken the truth of God so that we know not what Christ is,
what we are and what our condition is. They lead the whole
world with them into the abyss of hell, and it is indeed time
that we eradicate from the earth all chapters and monasteries.
23. Learn then from this Gospel what takes place when God
begins to make us godly, and what the first step is in becoming
godly. There is no other beginning than that your king comes
to you and begins to work in you. It is done in this way : The
Gospel must be the first, this must be preached and heard. In
it you hear and learn how all your works count for nothing
before God and that everything is sinful that you work and do.
Your king must first be in you and rule you. Behold, here is
the beginning of your salvation; you relinquish your works
and despair of yourself, because you hear and see that all
you do is sin and amounts to nothing, as the Gospel tells you,
and you receive your king in faith, cling to him, implore his
grace and find consolation in his mercy alone.
But when you hear and accept this it is not your power,
but God's grace, that renders the Gospel fruitful in you, so
that you believe that you and your works are nothing. For
you see how few there are who accept it, so that Christ weeps
over Jerusalem and, as now the Papists are doing, not only
refuse it, but condemn such doctrine, for they will not have
all their works to be sin, they desire to lay the first stone and
rage and fume against the Gospel.
FIRST SUNDxVY IN ADVE:NT. 2^
24. Again, it is not by virtue of your power or your merit
that the Gospel is preached and your king comes. God must
send him out of pure grace. Hence, not greater wrath of God
exists than where he does not send the Gospel ; there is only
sin, error and darkness, there man may do what he will. Again,
there is no greater grace, than where he sends his Gospel, for
there must be grace and mercy in its train, even if not all.
perhaps only a few, receive it. Thus the pope's government
is the most terrible wrath of God, so that Peter calls them the
children of execration, for they teach no Gospel, but mere
human doctrine of their own works as we, alas, see in all the
chapters, monasteries and schools.
25. This is what is meant by "Thy king cometh." You do
not seek him, but he seeks you. You do not find him, he finds
you. For the preachers come from him, not from you; their
sermons come from him, not from you ; your faith comes from
him, not from you ; everything that faith works in you comes
from him, not from you ; and where he does not come, you
remain outside ; and where there is no Gospel there is no God,
but only sin and damnation, free will may do, suffer, work
and live as it may and can. Therefore you should not ask,
where to begin to be godly; there is no beginning, except
where the king enters and is proclaimed.
26. Sixthly, he cometh ''unto tlicc." Thee, thee, what does
this mean? Is it not enough that he is your king? If he is
yours how can he say, he comes to you ? All this is stated by
the prophet to present Christ in an endearing way and invite
to faith. It is not enough that Christ saves us from the rule
and tyranny of sin, death and hell, and becomes our king, but
he offers himself to us for our possession, that whatever he is
and has may be ours, as St. Paul whites, Rom. 8, 32 : "He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us ail,
how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?"
27. Hence the daughter of Zion has twofold gifts from
Christ. The first is faith and the Holy Spirit in the heart, by
which she becomes pure and free from sin. The other is
Christ himself, that she may glory in the blessings given by
Christ, as though everything Christ is and has were her own,
28 LU'riIL:R\^ CHURCH I'OSTIL.
and that she may rely upon Christ as upon her own heritage.
Of this St. Paul speaks, Rom. 8, 34 : "Christ maketh interces-
sion for us.'' If he maketh intercession for us he will receive
us and we will receive him as our Lord. And 1 Cor. 1,30:
"Christ was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness
and sanctification, and redemption." Of tlie twofold gifts
Isaiah speaks in 40, 1-2 : "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,
saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem ; and cry
unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquit>
is pardoned, for she hath received of Jehovah's hand double
for all her sins."
Behold, this means that he comes to you, for your welfare,
as your own ; in that he is your king, you receive grace from
him into your heart, so that he delivers you from sin and
death, and thus becomes your king and you his subject. In
coming to you he becomes your own, so that you partake of
his treasures, as a bride, by the jewelry the bridegroom puts
on her, becomes partner of his possessions. Oh, this is a joy-
ful, comforting form of speech ! Who would despair and be
afraid of death and hell, if he believes in these words and wins
Christ as his own ?
28. Seventhly: ''Meek." This word is to be especially
noticed, and it comforts the sin-burdened conscience. Sin
naturally makes a timid conscience, which fears God and flees,
as Adam did in Paradise, and cannot endure the coming of
God, the knowing and feelitig that God is an enemy of sin and
severely punishes it. Hence it flees and is afraid, when God
is only mentioned, and is concerned lest he go at it tooth and
nail. In order that such delusion and timidity may not pursue
us he gives us the comforting promise that this king comes
meekly.
As if he would say: Do not flee and despair for he does
not come now as he came to Adam, to Cain, at the flood, at
Babel, to Sodom and Gomorrah, nor as he came to the people
of Israel at Mount Sinai ; he comes not in wrath, does not wish
to reckon with you and demand his debt. All wrath is laid
aside, nothing but tenderness and kindness remain. He will
FIRST SUNDAY IN .\DV^NT. 29
now deal with you so that your heart will have pleasure, love
and confidence in him, that henceforth you will much more
abide with him and find refuge in him than you feared him
and fled from him before. Behold, he is nothing but meekness
to you, he is a different man, he acts as if he were sorry ever
to have made you afraid and caused you to flee from his
punishment and wrath. He desires to reassure and comfort
you and bring you to himself by love and kindness.
This means to speak consolingly to a sin-burdened con-
science, this means to preach Christ rightly and to proclaim
his Gospel. How is it possible that such a form of speech
should not make a heart glad and drive away all fear of sin,
death and hell, and establish a free, secure and good con-
science that will henceforth gladly do all and more than is
commanded.
29. The Evangelist, however, altered the words of the
prophet slightly. The prophet says in Zech. 9, 9 : "Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion ; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem :
behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having sal-
vation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt, the
foal of an ass." The Evangelist expresses the invitation to
joy and exultation briefly in these words: "Tell the daughter
of Zion." Further on he leaves out the words : "just and having
salvation." Again the prophet says, "he is lowly," the Evan-
gelist, "he is meek." The prophet says : "upon the colt, the
foal of an ass," he mentions the last w^ord in the plural number ;
the Evangelist says : "upon the colt, the foal of an ass that is
used for daily and burden-bearing labor." How shall we har-
monize these accounts?
30. First, we must keep in mind that the Evangelists do
not quote the prophets word by word, it is enough for them
to have the sanie meaning and to show the fulfillment, direct-
ing us to the Scriptures so that we oifrselves may read, what
they omit, and see for ourselves that nothing was written which
is not richly fulfilled. It is natural, also, that- he who has the
substance and the fulfillment, docs not care so much for the
words. Thus we often find that the Evangelists quote the
?j{} lutiikr'vS church postil.
prophets somewhat changed, yet it is done without detriment
to the understanding- and intent of the original.
31. To invite tlie daughter of Zion and the daughter of
Jerusalem to joy and gladness the prophet abundantly gives
us to understand that the coming of this king is most com-
forting to every sin-burdened conscience, since he removes all
fear and trembling, so that men do not flee from him and
look upon him as a severe judge, who will press them with the
law, as Moses did, so that they could not have a joyful confi-
dence in God, as the knowledge and realization of sin naturally
come from the law. But he would arouse them with this first
word to expect from him all grace and goodness. For what
other reason should he invite them to rejoice and command
them even to shout and be exceeding glad ! He tells this com-
mand of God to all who are in sorrow and fear of God. He
also shows that it is God's will and full intent, and demands
that they entertain joyful confidence in him against the natural
fear and alarm. And this is the natural voice of the Gospel
which the prophet here begins to preach, as Christ speaks like-
wise in the Gospel and the apostles always admonish to rejoice
in Christ, as we shall hear further on.
It is also full of meaning that he comes from the Mount of
Olives. We shall notice that this grace on account of its great-
ness might be called a mountain of grace, a grace which is not
only a drop or handful, but grace abundant and heaped up
like a mountain.
32. He mentions the people twice while the Evangelist
says only once, daughter of Zion. For it is one people, daugh-
ter of Zion and daughter of Jerusalem, namely the people of
the same city, Avho believe in Christ and receive him. As i
said before, the Evangelist quotes the Scriptures only briefly
and invites us to read them ourselves and find out more there
for ourselves. That the Evangelist does not invite to joy like
the prophet, but simply says: Tell it to the daughter of Zion,
he does it to show how the joy and exultation shall be carried
on. None should expect bodily but spiritual joy, a joy that
can be gathered alone from the Word by the faith of the heart.
From a worldly aspect there was nothing joyful in Christ's en-
First Sunday in .\dvent. 31
trance, his spiritual advent must be preached and beheved ;
that is, his meekness ; this makes man joyful and glad.
33. That the prophet gives Christ three titles, lowly, j'ciet,
and having salvation, while the Evangelist has only one, meek,
is again done for brevity's sake, he suggests more than he ex-
plains. It seems to me that the Holy Ghost led the apostles and
evangelists to abbreviate passages of the Scriptures for the pur-
pose that we might be kept close to the holy Scriptures, and not
set a bad exemple to future exegetes, who make many words
outside the Scriptures and thereby draw us secretly from the
Scriptures to human doctrines. As to say: If I spread the
Scriptures verbatim everyone will follow the example and it
will come to pass that we would read more in other books than
in the holy writings of the principal book, and there would
be no end to the writing of books and we would be carried
from one book to another, until, finally, we would get away
from the holy Scriptures altogether, as has happened in fact.
Hence, Avith such incomplete quotations he directs us to the
original book where they can be found complete, so that there
is no need for everyone to make a separate book and leave
the first one.
34. We notice, therefore, that it is the intention of all the
apostles and evangelists in the New Testament to direct and
drive us to the Old Testament, which they call the Holy Scrip-
tures proper. For the New Testament was to be only the
incarnate living Word and not scripture. Hence Christ did not
write anything himseii, but gave the command to preach and
extend the Gospel, which lay hidden in the Scriptures, as we
shall ^"»ear on Epiphany Sunday.
35. In the Hebrew language the two words meek and
lowly do not sound unlike, and mean not a poor man who is
wanting in money and property, but who in his heart is humble
and wretched, in whom truly no anger nor haughtiness is to
be found, but meekness and sympathy. And if we wish to
obtain the full meaning of this word, we must take it as Luke
uses it, who describes how Christ at his entrance wept and
wailed over Jerusalem.
We interpret therefore the words lowly and meek in the
32 . LUTIIKR^S CHURCH POSTIL
light of Christ's conduct. How does he appear? His heart is
full of sorrow and compassion toward Jerusalem. There is no
anger or revenge, but he weeps out of tenderness at their im-
pending doom.. No'ne was so bad that he did or wished him
harm. His sympathy makes him so kind and full of pity that
he thinks not of anger, of haughtiness, of threatening or re-
venge, but offers boundless compassion and good will. This
is what the prophet calls lowly and the Evangelist meek.
Blessed he who thus knows Christ in him and believes in him.
He cannot be afraid of him, but has a true and comforting
confidence in him and entrance to him. He does not try to
find fault either, for as he believes, he finds it ; these words do
not lie nor deceive.
36. The word "just" does not mean here the justice with
which God judges, which is called the severe justice of God.
For if Christ came to us with this who could stand before him ?
Who could receive him, since even the saints cannot endure it ?
The joy and grace of this entrance would thereby be changed
into the greatest fear and terror. But that grace is meant,
by which he makes us just or righteous. I wish the word
Justus, justitia, were not used for the severe judicial justice;
for originally it means godly, godliness. When we say, he
is a pious man, the Scriptures express it, he is Justus, justifieci
or just. But the severe justice of God is called in the Scrip-
tures: Severity, judgment, tribunal.
The prophet's meaning, therefore, is this: Thy king Com-
eth to thee pious or just, i. e., he comes to make you godly
through himself and his grace; he knows well that you are
not godly. Your piety should consist not in your deeds, but
in his grace and gift, so that you are just and godly through
him. In this sense St. Paul speaks, Rom. B, 26 : ''That he might
himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus."
That is, Christ alone is pious before God and he alone makes
us pious. Also, Rom. 1, 17: "For therein is revealed a right-
eousness of God from faith unto faith," that is the godliness of
God, namely his grace and mercy, by which he makes us godly
before him, is preached in the Gospel. You see in this verse
from the prophet that Christ is preached for us unto righteous-
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 3B
ncss, that he comes godly and just, and we become godly and
just by faith.
37. Note this fact carefully, that when you find in the
Scriptures the word God's justice, it is not ro be understood
of the self-existing, imminent justice of God, as the Papists
and many of the fathers held, lest you be frightened; but,
according to the usage of Holy Writ, it means the revealed
grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ in us by means
of which we are considered godly and righteous before him.
Hence it is called God's justice or righteousness effected not
by us, but by God through grace, just as God's work, God's
wisdom, God's strength, God's word, God's mouth, signifies
what he works and speaks in us. All this is demonstrated
clearly by St. Paul, Rom. 1,16: "I am not ashamed of the
Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God (which works in
us and strengthens us) unto salvation to everyone that believ-
eth. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God," as it
is written in Hab. 2, 4 : ''The righteous shall live by his faith.'*
Here you see that he speaks of the righteousness of faith and
calls the same the righteousness of God, preached in the Gos-
pel, since the Gospel teaches nothing else but that he who
believes has grace and is righteous before God and is saved.
In the same manner you should understand Ps. 31, 1 :
''Deliver me in thy righteousness," i. e. by thy grace, which
makes me godly and righteous. The word Saviour or Re-
deemer compels us to accept this as the meaning of the little
word "just." For if Christ came with his severe justice he
would not save anyone, but condemn all, as they are all sin-
ners and unjust. But now he comes to make not only just
and righteous, but also blessed, all who receive him, that he
alone as the just one and the Saviour be offered graciously to
all sinners out of unmerited kindness and righteousness.
38. When the Evangelist calls his steed a burden-bearing
and working foal of an ass he describes the animal the proph-
ets mean. He wants to say: The prophecy is fulfilled in this
burden-bearing animal. It was not a special animal trained
for this purpose, as according to the country's custom riding
animals are trained, and when the prophet speaks of the foal
34 luthkr's church postil.
of the ass it is hi's meaning that it was a colt, but not a colt
of a horse.
IL CONCERNING GOOD WORKS.
39. We have said enough of faith. We now come to con-
sider good works. We receive Christ not only as a gift by
faith, but also as an example of love toward our neighbor,
whom we are to serve as Christ serves us. Faith brings and
gives Christ to you with all his possessions. Love gives you
to your neighbor with all your possessions. These two things
constitute a true and complete Christian life ; then follow suf-
fering and persecution for such faith and love, and out of these
grows hope in patience.
40. You ask, perhaps, w^liat are the good works you are
to do to your neighbor? Answer: They have no name. As
the good works Christ does to you have no name, so your good
works are to have no name.
41. W^hereby do you know them? Answer: They have no
name, so that there may be no distinction made and they be
not divided, that you might do some and leave others undone.
You shall give yourself up to him altogether, Vv' ith all you have,
the same as Christ did not sihiply pray or fast for you. Prayer
and fasting are not the works he did for you, but he gave
himself up wholly to you, with praying, fasting, all works and
suffering, so that there is nothing in him that is not yours
and was not done for you. Thus it is not your good work
that you give alms or that you pray, but that you offer yourselt
to your neighbor and serve him, wherever he needs you and
ever}^ way you can, be it with alms, prayer, work, fasting, coun-
sel, comfort, instruction, admonition, punishment, apologizing,
clothing, food, and lastly with suffering and dying for him.
Pray, where are now such works to be found in Christendom ?
42. I wish to God 1 had a voice like a thunderbolt, that
I might preach to all the world, and tear the word "gooa
works" out of people's hearts, mouths, ears, books, or at least
give them the right understanding of it. All the world sings,
speaks, writes and thinks of good works, everyone wishes to
exercise themselves in good works, and yet, good works are
First Sunday in advent. 35
done nowhere, no one has the right understanding of good
works. Oh, that all such pulpits in all the world were cast
into the fire and burned to ashes ! How they mislead people
with their good works ! They call good works what God has
not commanded, as pilgrimages, fasting, building and decorat-
ing thei'r churches in honor of the saints, saying mass, paying
for vigils, praying with rosaries, much prattling and bawling
in churches, turning nun, monk, priest, using special food,
raiment or dwelling, — who can enumerate all the horrible
abominations and deceptions? This i*s the pope's government
and holiness.
43. If you have ears to hear and a mind to observe, pray,
listen and learn for God's sake what good works are and
mean. A good work is good for the reason that it is useful
and benefits and helps the one for whom it is done; why else
should it be called good ! For there is a difference between
good works and great, long, numerous, beautiful works.
When you throw a big stone a great distance it is a great
w^ork, but whom does it benefit? If you can jump, run, fence
well, it is a fine work, but whom does it benefit ? Whom does
it help, if you wear a costly coat or build a fine house?
44. And to come to our Papists' work, what does it avail
if they put silver or gold on the walls, wood and stone in the
churches ? Who would be made better, if each village had ten
bells, as big as those at Erfurt? Whom would it help if all the
houses were convents and monasteries as splendid as the tem-
ple of Solomon? Vv^ho is benefited if you fast for St. Cathe-
rine, St. Martin or any other saint? Whom does it benefit, if
you are shaved half or wholly, if you wear a gray or a black
cap? Of what use were it if all people held mass every hour?
W^hat benefit is it if in one church, as at ]\Ieissen, they sing
day and night without interruption? Who is better for it, if
every church had more silver, pictures and jewelry than the
churches of Halle and Wittenberg? It is folly and deception,
men's lies invented these things and called them good works ;
they all pretend they serve God thus and pray for the people
and their sins, just as if they helped God with their property
or as if his saints wxre in need of our work. Sticks and stones
36 Luther's church postil.
are not as rude and mad as we are. A tree bears fruit, not
for itself, but for the good of man and beast, and these fruits
are its good works.
45. Hear then how Chri'st explains good works, Math. 7,
12 : ''Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even
so do ye unto them ; for this is the law and the prophets." Do
you hear now what are the contents of the whole law and of
all the prophets? You are not to do good to God and to his
dead saints, they are not in need of it; still less to wood and
stone, to which it is of no use, nor is it needed, but to men, to
men, to men. Do you not hear? To men you should do
everything that you would they should do to you.
46. I would not have you build me a church or tower or
cast bells for me. I would not have you construct for me an
organ with fourteen stops and ten rows of flute work. Of this
I can neither eat nor drink, support neither wife nor child,
keep neither house nor land. You may feast my eyes on these
and tickle my ears, but what shall I give to my children?
Where are the necessaries of life ? O madness, madness ! The
bishops and lords, who should check it, are the first in such
folly, and one blind leader leads the other. Such people remind
me of young girls playing with dolls and of boys riding on
sticks. Indeed, they are nothing but cliildren and players with
dolls, and riders of hobbyhorses.
47. Keep In mind, that you need not do any work for God
nor for the departed saints, but you ask and receive good from
him in faith. Christ has done and accomplished everything
for you, atoned for your sins, secured grace and life and sal-
vation. Be content with this, only think how he can become
more and more your own and strengthen your faith. Hence
direct all the good you can do and your whole life to the end
that it be good ; but it is good only when it is useful to other
people and not to yourself. You need it not, since Christ has
done and given for you all that you might seek and desire for
yourself, here and hereafter, be it forgiveness of sins, merit
of salvation or whatever it may be called. If you find a work
in you by which you benefit God or his saints or yourself and
not your neighbor, know that such a work is not good.
First Sunday in adv£;nt. 37
48. A man is to live, speak, act, hear, suffer and die for the
g^ood of his wife and child, the wife for the husband, the chil-
dren for the parents, the servants for their masters, the mas-
ters for their servants, the government for its subjects, the
subjects for the government, each one for his fellowman, even
for his enemies, so that one is the other's hand, mouth, eye,
foot, even heart and mind. This is a truly Christian and good
work, which can and shall be done at all times, in all places,
toward all people. You notice the Papists' works in organs,
pilgrimages, fasting, etc., are really beautiful, great, numerous,
long, wide and heavy works, but there is no good, useful and
helpful work among them and the proverb may be applied to
them: It is already bad.
49. But beware of their acute subtleties, when they say :
If these works are not good to our neighbor in his body, they
do spiritual good to his soul, since they serve God and pro-
pitiate him and secure his grace. Here it is time to say : You
lie as wide as }'our mouth. God is to be worshiped not with
works, but by faith, faith must do everything that is to be
done between God and us. There may be more faith in a miller-
boy than in all the Papists, and it may gain more than all
priests and monks do with their organs and jugglery, even if
they had more organs than these now have pipes. He who
has faith can pray for his fellowman, he who has no faith can
pray for nothing.
It is a Satanic lie to call such outward pomp spiritually
good and useful works. A miller's maid, if she believes, does
more good, accomplishes more, and I would trust her more,
if she takes the sack from the horse, than all the priests and
monks, if they kill themselves singing day and night and tor-
ment themselves to the quick. You great, coarse fools, would
you expect to help the people with your faithless life and
distribute spiritual goods, when there is on earth no more
miserable, needy, godless people than you are? You should
be called, not spiritual, but spiritless.
50. Behold, such good works Christ teaches here by his
example. Tell me what does he do to serve himself and to do
good to himself? The prophet directs all to the daughter of
88 Luther's church posth..
Zion and says : "He cometh to thee," and that he comes as a
Saviour, just and meek, is all for you, to make you just and
blessed. None had asked nor bidden him to come ; but he came,
he comes of his own free will, out of pure love, to do good and
to be useful and helpful.
Now his work is manifold, it embraces all that is necessary
to make us just and blessed. But justification and salvation
imply that he delivers us from sin, death, hell, and does it not
only for his friends, but also for his enemies, yea, for none but
his enemies, yet he does it so tenderly, that he weeps over those
who oppose such w^ork and w^ill not receive him. Hence he
leaves nothing undone to blot out their sin, conquer death avio
hell and make them just and blessed. He retains nothing for
himself, and is content that he already has God and is blessed,
— thus he serves only us according to the will of his father who
wishes him to do so.
51. See then how he keeps the law : "Whatsoever ye would
that men should do unto you, even so do ye unto them." Is it
not true, everyone heartily washes that another might step
between man and his sin, take it upon himself and blot it out,
so that it would no more sting his conscience, and deliver him
from death and hell? What does everyone desire more deeply
than to be free from death and hell ? Who would not be free
from sin and have a good, joyful conscience before God? Do
we not see how all men have striven for this, with prayer,
fastings, pilgrimages, donations, monasteries and priestdom?
Who urges them? It is sin, death, hell, from which they
w^ould be saved. And if there w^ere a physician at the end of
the world, who could help here, all lands would become de-
serted and every one w^ould hasten to this physician and risk
property, body and life to make the journey.
And if Christ himself, like we, were surrounded by death,
sin and hell, he would wish that some one w^ould help him out
of it, take his sin away and give him a good conscience. Since
he would have others do this for him, he proceeds and does
it for others, as the law says, he takes upon himself our sins,
goes hi to death and overcomes for us sin, death and hell, so
that henceforth all who believe in him, and call upon his name.
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 39
shall be justified and saved, be above sin and death, have a
good, joyful, secure and intrepid conscience forever, as he says
in John 8, 51 : "If a man keep my word, he shall never see
death," and John 11,25-26: ''I am the resurrection, and the
life; he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live,
and whosoever liveth and believeth on me, shall never die."
52. Behold, this is the great joy, to which the prophet in-
vites, when he says : ''Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion ;
shout, O daughter of Jerusalem !" This is the righteousness
and the salvation for which the Saviour and King comes.
These are the good works done for us by which he fulfills the
law. Hence the death of the believer in Christ is not death
but a sleep, for he neither sees nor tastes death, as is said in
Ps. 4, 8 : "In peace will I both lay me down and sleep, for
thou, Jehovah, alone makest me dwell in safety." Therefore
death is also called a sleep in the Scriptures.
53. But the Papists and their disciples, who would get rid
of death, sin and hell by their own works and satisfaction,
must remain in them eternally for they undertake to do for
themselves what Christ alone did and could do, of whom they
should expect it by faith. Therefore they are foolish, deluded
people who do works for Christ and his saints, which they
should do for their neighbor. Again, what they should expect
of Christ by faith they would find in themselves and have gone
so far as to spend on stone and wood, on bells and incense
what they should spend on their neighbors. They go on and
do good to God and his saints, fast for them and dedicate to
them prayers, and at the same time leave their neighbor as he
is, thinking only, let us first help ourselves ! Then comes the
pope and sells them his letter of indulgence and leads them
into heaven, not into God's heaven, but into the pope's heaven,
which is the abyss of hell. Behold, this is the fruit of unbelief
and ignorance of Christ, this is our reward for having left
the Gospel in obscurity and setting up human doctrine in its
place. I repeat it, I wish all pulpits in the world lay in ashes,
and the monasteries, convents, churches, hermitages and chap-
els, and everything were ashes and powder, because of this
shameful misleading of souls.
40 i,utitkr's church posth..
54. Now you know what good works are. Think of it and
act accordingly. As to sin, death and hell, take care that
you augment them not, for you cannot do anything here,
your good works will avail nothing, you must have some one
else to work for you. To Christ himself such works properly
belong, you must consent to it that he who comes is the king
of Zion, that he alone is the just Saviour. In him and through
him you will blot out sin and death through faith. Therefore,
if anyone teaches you to blot out your own sin by works,
beware of him.
55. When in opposition to this they quote verses of the
Bible like Dan. 4, 27 : ''Break off thine iniquities by showing
mercy to the poor," and 1 Pet. 4, 8 : "Love covereth a multitude
of sins," and the like, be not deceived, such passages do not
mean that the works could blot out or remove sin, for this
would rob Christ of his word and advent, and do away with
his whole work; but these works are a sure work of faith,
which in Christ receives remission of sins and the victory
over death. For it is impossible for him who believes in
Christ, as a just Saviour, not to love and to do good. If, how-
ever, he does not do good nor love, it is sure that faith is not
present. Therefore man knows by the fruits what kfnd of a
tree it is, and it is proved by love and deed whether Christ is
in him and he believes in Christ. As St. Peter says in 2 Pet.
1, 10: "Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make
your calling and election sure ; for if ye do these things, ye
shall never stumble," that is, if you bravely practice good
works you will be sure and cannot doubt that God has called
and chosen you.
56. Thus faith blots out sin in a different manner than
love. Faith blots it out of itself, while love or good works
prove and demonstrate that faith has done so and is present,
as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 13, 2 : "And if I have all faith, so as
to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." Why?
Without doubt, because faith is not present where there is
no love, they are not separate the one from the other. See
to it then that you do not err, and be misled from faith to
works.
]?IRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 41
57. Good works should be done, but we should not confide
in them, instead of in Christ's work. We should not touch sin,
death and hell with our works, but direct them from us to the
Saviour, to the king of Zion, who rides upon an ass. He who
knows how to treat sin, death and hell, will blot out sin, over-
come death, and subdue hell. Do you permit him to perform
these works while you serve your neighbor, — you will then
have a sure testi'mony of faith in the Saviour who overcame
death. So love and good works will blot out your sin for you
that you may realize it ; as faith blots it out before God where
you do not realize it. But more of this later.
THE LESSON STORY AND THE FALSE NOTIONS
THE JEWS HELD CONCERNING THE MESSIAH.
58. In the story of this Gospel we will first direct our at-
tention to the reason why the Evangelist quotes the words of
the prophet, in which was described long ago and in clear,
beautiful and wonderful words, the bodily, public entrance
and advent of our Lord Jesus Christ to the people of Zion
or Jerusalem, as the text says. In this the prophet wanted to
show and explain to his people and to all the world, who the
Messiah is and hov/ and in what manner he would come and
manifest himself, and offers a plain and visible sign in this
that he says : "Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and
riding upon an ass," etc., so that we would be certain of it, and
not dispute about the promised Messiah or Christ, nor wait
for another.
He therewith anticipates the mistaken idea of the Jews,
who thought, because there were such glorious things said
and written of Christ and his kingdom, he would manifest
himself in great worldly pomp and glory, as a king against
their enemies, especially the Roman empire, to the power of
which they were subject, and would overthrow its power and
might, and in their place set up the Jews as lords and princes.
They thus expected nothing in the promised Christ but a
worldly kingdom and deliverance from bodily captivity. Even
today they cling to such dreams and therefore they do not
believe in Christ, because thev have not seen such bodily
42 Luther's church postil.
relief and worldly power. They were led to this notion, and
strengthened in it, by their false priests, preachers and doctors,
who perverted the Scriptures concerning Christ and interpreted
them according to their own worldly understanding as refer-
ring to bodily, worldly things, because they would fain be
great earthly lords.
59. But the dear prophets plainly foretold and faithfully
gave warning that we should not think of such an earthly
kingdom nor of bodily salvation, but look back and pay atten-
tion to the promises of a spiritual kingdom and of a redemp-
tion from the pernicious fall of mankind in paradise ; of which
it is said in Gen. 2, 17: "In the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die." The first prophecy of Christ is also
against it, Gen. 3, 15 : "The seed of woman shall bruise the
serpent's head." Which means, he shall deliver all mankind
from the power of the devil and the captivity of sin and eternal
death and, instead bring justification before God and eternal
life. Hence this prophet calls him "just and having salva-
tion." This truly is a different salvation than that of bodily
freedom, bodily power and glory, the end of which is death,
and under which everything must abide eternally.
They ought to have considered this and rejoiced In It,
since the prophets had heartily yearned and prayed for It, and
this prophet admonishes to such great joy and gladness. But
they and their shameless preachers made a temporal affair out
of this misery and unhappiness, as If it were a joke about sin
and death or the power of the devil, and considered It the
greatest misfortune that they lost their temporal freedom and
were made subject to the emperor and required to pay taxes
to him.
60. The Evangelist therefore quotes this saying of the
prophet, to punish the blindness and false notions of those
who seek bodily and temporal blessings In Christ and his Gos-
pel, and to convince them by the testimony of the prophet, who
shows clearly what kind of a king Christ was and what they
should seek in him. In that he calls him just and having salva-
tion and yet adds this sign of his coming by which they are to
know him : "TTe cometh to thee meek, and riding upon a colt,
I^IRST SUNDAY IN ADVKNT. 43
the foal of an ass." As if to say: A poor, miserable, almost
beggarly horseman upon a borrowed ass who is kept by the
side of its mother not for ostentation but lor service. With
this he desires to lead them away from gazing and waiting for
a glorious entrance of a worldly king. And he offers such
signs that they might not doubt the Christ, nor take ofifense
at his beggarly appearance. All pomp and splendor are to be
left out of sight, and the heart and the eyes directed to the poor
rider, who became poor and miserable and made himself of
no kingly reputation that they might not seek the things of
this world in him but the eternal, as is indicated by the words,
"just and having salvation."
61. This verse first clearly and effectively does away with
the Jewish dream and delusion of a worldly reign of the
Messiah and of their temporal freedom. It takes away all
cause and support for excuse, if they do not receive Christ,
and cuts off all hope and expectation for another, because it
clearly and distinctly announces and admonishes that he would
come on this wise and that he has fulfilled everything. We
Christians thus have against the Jews a firm ground and cer-
tain title and conviction from their own Scripture that this
Messiah, who thus came to them, is the Christ predicted by the
prophets and that no other shall come, and that in the vain
hope of another's coming they forfeit their temporal and eter-
nal salvation.
III. THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THIS
GOSPEL
62. This has been said about the history of this Gospel.
Let us now treat of its hidden or spiritual meaning. Here we
are to remember that Christ's earthly walk and conversation
signify his spiritual walk ; his bodily walk therefore signifies
the Gospel and the faith. As with his bodily feet he walked
from one town to another, so by preaching he came into the
world. Hence this lesson shows distinctly what the Gospel
is and how it is to be preached, what it does and effects in the
world, and its history is a fine, pleasing picture and image of
44 i.uthkr's church postil.
how the kingdom of Christ is carried on by the office of
preaching. We will consider this point by point.
''And zuhen they drew nigh unto Jcnisalcui, and came unto
Bethphage, unto the Mount of Olives."
63. All the apostles declare that Christ would become man
at the end of the world, and that the Gospel would be the last
preaching, as is written in 1 John 2, 18: "Little children, it is
the last hour, and as ye have heard that Antichrist cometh,
even now hath there arisen many Antichrists; whereby we
know that it is the last hour," etc. He mentions here the x\nti-
christ. Antichrist in Greek means he who teaches and acts
against the true Christ. Again, 1 Cor. 10,11: "All these
things were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the ages are come." As the prophets came to man before
the first advent of Christ, so the apostles are the last mes-
sengers of God, sent before the last advent of Christ at the
last day to preach it faithfully. Christ indicates this by not
sending out his apostles to fetch the ass, until he drew nigh
unto Jerusalem, where he was now to enter. Thus the Gospel
is brought into this world by the apostles shortly before the
last day, when Christ will enter with his flock into the eternal
Jerusalem.
64. This agrees with the word "Bethphage," which means,
as some say, mouth-house, for St. Paul says in Rom. 1, 2, that
the Gospel was promised afore in the Holy Scriptures, but it
was not preached orally and publicly until Christ came and
sent out his apostles. Therefore the church is a mouth-house,
not a pen-house, for since Christ's advent that Gospel is
preached orally which before was hidden in written books.
It i's the way of the Gospel and of the New Testament that
it is to be preached and discussed orally with a living voice.
Christ himself wrote nothing, nor did he give command to
write, but to preach orally. Thus the apostles were not sent
out until Christ came to his mouth-house, that is, until the time
had come to preach orally and to bring the Gospel from dead
writing and pen-work to the living voice and mouth. From
this time the church is rightly called Bethphage, since she ha;,
and hears the living voice of the Gospel.
First Sunday in advent. 45
65. The sending shows that the kingdom of Christ is con-
tained in the public oral office of preaching, which shall not
stand still nor remain in one place, as before it was hidden with
the Jewish nation alone in the Scriptures and foretold by the
prophets for the future, but should go openly, free and un-
trammxled into all the world.
66. The ]\Iount of Olives signifies the great mercy and
grace of God, that sent forth the apostles and brought the Gos-
pel to us. Olive oil in Holy Writ signifies the grace and mercy
of God, by which the soul and the conscience are comforted
and healed, as the oil soothes and softens and heals the wounds
and defects of the body. And from what was said above, we
learn what unspeakable grace it is that we know and have
Christ, the justified Saviour and king. Therefore he does not
send into the level plain, nor upon a deserted, rocky mountain,
but unto the Alount of Olives, to show to all the world the
mercy which prompted him to such grace. There is not
simply a drop or handful of it, as formerly, but because of
its great abundance it might be called a mountain. The
prophet also calls in Ps. 3G, 6, such grace God's mountain
and says: "Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God,"
that is, great and abundant, rich and overflowing. This he
can understand who considers what it means that Christ
bears our s?n, and conquers death and hell and does every-
thing for us, that is necssary to our salvation. He does not
expect us to do anything for it, but to exercise it towards
our neighbor, to know thereby whether we have such faith
in Chrilst or not. Hence the Mount of Olives signifies that
the Gospel was not preached nor sent until the time of grace
came ; from this time on the great grace goes out into the
world through the apostles.
^'Then Jesus sent two duciplcs, saying unto them, Go into
the village that is over against you.''
67. These two disciples represent all the apostles and
preachers, sent into the world. The evangelical sermon is to
consist of two witnesses, as St. Paul says in Rom. 3,21: "A
righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by
the law and the prophets." Thus we see how the apostles
46 luthkr's church postil.
introduce the law and the j rophets, who prophesied of Christ,
so that it might be fulfilled that Moses spoke in Deut. 17, 6
and Christ in IMath. 18, 16: "At the mouth of two witnesses
or three, every word may be established."
68. When he says : *'Go into the village over against you",
not mentioning the name, it signifies that the apostles are
not sent to one nation alone, as the Jews were separated from
the Gentiles and alone bore the name 'Teople of God" and
God's word and promise of the future Messiah were with
them alone. But now when Christ comes he sendes his preach-
ers ?nto all the world and commands them to go straight for-
ward and preach everywhere to all the heathen, and to teach,
reprove, without distinction, whomsoever they meet, however
great, and wise and learned and holy, they may be.
When he calls the great city of Jerusalem a village and
does not give her name, he does it for the reason that the
name Jerusalem has a holy significance. The kingdom of
heaven and salvation are the spiritual Jerusalem, that Christ
enters. But the apostles were sent into the world amongst
their enemies who have no name.
69. The Lord here comforts and strengthens the apostles
and all min?sters, when he calls the great city a village, and
adds, she is over against you. As if he would say, like Math.
10,16: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst
of the v/olves", I send you into the world, which is against
you, and seems to be something great, for there are kings,
princes, the learned, the rich and everything that is great in
the world and amounts to anything, this is against you. And
as he says in Math. 10, 22 : "Ye shall be hated of all men for
my name's sake." But never fear, go on, it is hardly a village,
do not be moved by great appearances, preach bravely against
it and fear no one. For it is not possible that he should preach
the gospel truth, who fears the multitude and does not despise
all that the world esteems highly. It is here decreed that this
village is against the apostles, therefore they should not be
surprised i'f the great, high, rich, wise and holy orders do not
accept their word. It must be so, the village must be against
them ; again, the apostles must despise them and appear before
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 47
them, for the Lord will have no flatterer as a preacher. He
does not say: Go around the village, or to the one side of it:
Go in bravely and tell them what they do not like to hear.
70. How very few there are now who enter the villagt-
that is against them. We gladly go into the towns that are
on our side. The Lord might have said : Go ye into the vil-
lage before you. That would have been a pleasing and custom-
ary form of speech. But he would indicate this mystery of
the ministry, hence he speaks in an unusual way : Go into the
village that is over against you. That is : Preach to them
that are disposed to prosecute and kill you. You shall merit
such thanks and not try to please them, for such is the way
of hypocrites and not that of the evangelists.
''And straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt
with her; loose them and bring theni unto nie."
7L This is also ofifered as consolation to ministers that
they should not worry as to who would believe or receive
them. For it is decreed, Is. 55,11 : "My word shall not return
unto me void." And St. Paul says. Col. 1,6: "The Gospel
is in all the world bearing fruit." It cannot be otherwise than
that wehere the Gospel is preached there will be some, who ac-
cept it and believe. This is the meaning of the mystery that the
apostles shall find the ass forthwith and the colt, if they only
go. As if he would say : Only go and preach, care not who
they are that hear you. I will care for that. The world will
be against you, but be not afraid, you will find such as will
hear and follow you. You do not know them yet, but I know
them ; you preach, and leave the rest to me.
72. Behold, i'n this way he consoles them that they should
not cease to preach against the world, though it withstands
and contradicts them ever so hard, it shall not be in vain. You
find people now who believe we should be silent and cause no
stir, because it is impossible to convert the world. It is all
in vain, they say; pope, priests, bishops and monks reject it
and they will not change their lives, what is the use to preach
and storm against them? This is the same as if the apostles
had said to Christ: Thou teilest us to go into the village that
48 luther's church postii..
is over against us; if it is against us, what use is it that we
enter there, let us rather stay outside.
But the Lord refutes this and says: Go ye there and
preach, what does it matter if it is against you? You will
find there what I say. We should now do likewise. Although
the masses storm against the Gospel and there is no hope
that they will be better, yet we must preach, there will yet be
found those who listen and become converted.
73. Why does he have them bring two asses or not both
young or old ones, since one was enough for him to ride upon ?
Answer: As the two disciples represent the preachers, so the
colt and its mother represent their disciples and hearers. The
preachers shall be Christ's disciples and be sent by him, that is,
they should preach nothing but Christ's doctrine. Nor should
they go to preach except they be called, as was the case with the
apostles. But the hearers are old and young.
74. Here we should remember that mian in Holy Writ is
divided into two parts, in an inner and an outer man. The
outer man is called according to his outward, visible, bodily life
and conversation; the i'nner man, according to his heart and
conscience. The outer man can be forced to do the good and
quit the bad, by law, pain, punishment and shame, or attracted
by favor, money, honor and reward. But the inner man cannot
be forced to do out of his own free will, what he should do,
except the grace of God change the heart and make it willing.
Hence the Scriptures say all men are liars, no man does
good of his own free will, but everyone seeks his own and does
nothing out of love for virtue. For if there were no heaven nor
hell, no disgrace nor honor, none would do good. If it were
as great an honor and prize to commit adultery, as to honor
matrimony, you would see adultery committed with much
greater pleasure than matrimony is now held sacred. In like
manner all other sins w^ould be done with greater zeal than
virtues are nov/ practiced. Hence all good conduct without
grace is mere glitter and semblance, it touches only the ex-
terior man, w^ithout the mind and free will of the inner man
beinir reached.
^IRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 49
75. These are the two asses: The old one is the exterior
man; he is bound Hke this one, with laws and fear of death,
of hell, of shame, or with allurements of heaven, of life, of
honor. He goes forward with the external appearnce of good
works and is a pious rogue, but he does it unwillingly and
with a heavy heart and a heavy conscience.
Therefore the apostle calls her "subjugalem," the yoked
animal, who works under a burden and labors hard. It is a
miserable, pitiable life that is under compulsion by fear of
hell, of death and of shame. Hell, death and shame are his
yoke and burden, heavy beyond measure, from which he has
a burdened conscience and is secretly an enemy to law and
to God. Such people were the Jews, who waited for Christ,
and such are all who rely upon their own power to fulfil God's
commands, and merit heaven. They are tied by their con-
sciences to the law, they must, but would rather not, do it.
They are carriers of sacks, lazy beasts of burden and yoked
rogues.
76. The colt, the young ass, of which Mark and Luke
write, on which never man rode, is the inner man, the heart,
the mind, the will, which can never be subject to law, even
if he be tied by conscience and feels the law. But he has no
desire nor love for it until Christ comes and rides on him.
As this colt was never ridden by anyone, so man's heart has
never been subject to the good; but, as Moses says. Gen. 6,5
and 8,21, is evil continually from his youth.
77. Christ tells them to loose' them, that is, he tells them
to preach the Gospel in his name, in which is proclaimed grace
and remission of sins, and how he fulfilled the law for us.
The heart h here freed from the fetters of conscience and
things. Thus man is loose not from the law, that he should
and joyful, willing and anxious to do and to leave imdone all
things. Thus man is loose not from the Law, that he should
do nothing, but from a joyless, heavy conscience he has from
the law, and with which he was the enemy of the law, that
threatens him with death and hell. Now he has a clear con-
science under Christ, is a friend of the law, neither fears
death nor hell, does freely and willingly, what before he did
50 luthkr's church postii..
reluctantly. See, in this way the Gospel delivers the heart
from all evil, from sin and death, from hell and a bad con-
science through faith in Christ.
78. When he commands them to bring them to him, he
speaks against the pope and all sects and deceivers, who lead
the souls from Christ to themselves; but the apostles bring
them to Christ; they preach and teach nothing but Christ,
and not their own doctrine nor human laws. The Gospel
alone teaches us to come to Christ and to know Christ rightly.
In this the stupid prelates receive a heavy rebuke at their
system of bringing souls to themselves, as Paul says in Acts
20, 29-30 : ''I know that after my departing grievous wolves
shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from
among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse
things, to draw away the disciples after them." But the Gos-
pel converts men to Christ and to none else. Therefore he
sends out the Gospel and ordains preachers, that he may draw
us all to himself, that w^e may know him as he says, John 12,
32: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all
men unto myself."
"And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, The
Lord hath need of them; and straightzvay he will send them."
79. St. Paul, in Gal. 4, 2, compares the law to guardians
and stewards, under w^hom the young heir is educated in fear
and discipline. The law forces with threats that we externally
abstain from evil works, from fear of death and hell, although
the heart does not become good thereby. Here are, as Luke
writes, the masters of the ass and its colt, speaking to the
apostles: What, do ye loose the colt? Where the Gospel
begins to loose the conscience of its own works, it seems to
forbid good works and the keeping of the law. It is the
common speech of all the teachers of the law, and of the
scribes and doctors, to say : If all our works amount to nothing
and if the works done under the law are evil, we will never
do good. You forbid good works and throw away God's law ;
you heretic, you loose the colt and wish to make bad people
free. Then they go to work and forbid to loose the colt and
FIRST SUNDAY IN .VDVENT. 51
the conscience and to bring it to Christ and say, You must
do good works, and keep people tied in bondage to the law.
80. Our text shows how the apostles should act toward
such persons. They should say: "The Lord hath need of
them," they should instruct them in the works of the law and
the works of grace and should say: We forbid not good
w^orks, but we loose the conscience from false good works,
not to make them free to do evil deeds, but to come under
Christy their true Master, and under him do truly good w^orks ;
to this end he needs them and will have them. Of this Paul
treats so wxU in Rom. 6, where he teaches that through grace
we are free from the law and its w^orks ; not so as to do evil,
but to do truly good works.
81. It all amounts to this, that the scribes and masters
of the law do not know w^hat good w^orks are ; they therefore
will not loose the colt, but drive it with unmerciful human
works. However, where wholesome instruction is given con-
cerning good works, they let it pass, if they are at all sensible
and honest teachers of the law, as they are here represented.
The mad tyrants, who are frantic with human laws, are not
mentioned in this Gospel. It treats only of the law of God
and of the very best teachers of the law. For without grace,
even God's law is a chain and makes burdened consciences
and hypocrites whom none can help, until other works are
taught, which are not ours, but Christ's, and are worked in
us by grace. Then all constraint and coercion of the law is
ended and the colt is loose.
''Nozv this is come to pass, that it might be fiilMed, which
z^'as spoken through the prophet* saying. Tell ye the daughter
of Zion"
82. This verse has already been sufficiently explained. The
Evangelist introduces it that we may see how Christ has
come not for the sake of our merits, but for the sake of God's
truth. For he w^'^s prophesied long ago before we, to whom
he comes, had a being. God out of pure grace has fulfilled
the promises of the Gospel to demonstrate the truth that he
keeps his promises in order to stir us confidently to trust in
his promise, for he will fulfil it.
52 Luther's church postil.
And this is one of the passages, where the Gospel is prom-
ised, of which Paul speaks in Rom. 1, 2 : "Which he promised
afore through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning
his Son Jesus Christ," etc. We have heard how in this verse
the Gospel, Christ and faith are preached most distinctly and
consolingly.
"And the disciples zvent, and did even as Jesus appointed
them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their
garments, and he sat thereon, {and they set him thereon,)"
83. These are the ministers who by the Gospel have freed
the consciences from the law and its works and led them to the
works of grace, who made real saints out of* hypocrites, so
that Christ henceforth rides upon them.
84. The question arises here, whether Christ rode upon
both animals. Matthew speaks as if the disciples put him on
both, while Mark, Luke and John mention only the colt.
Some think he sat first on the colt and, because ic was too
wanton and untamed, he then sat on its moch'^r. These are
fables and dreams. We take it that he rode only on the colt.
He had them both brought to him on account of the spiritual
significance above mentioned. When Matthew says he sat
on them as though he rode on both, it is said after the manner
of the Scriptures and the common way ot speaking by
synecdoche, where a thing is ascribed to the community,
the whole people, which applies only to a few of them; for
example, Matthew writes : the thieves on the cross reviled him,
while only one did it, as Luke tells us, Christ says in Mat. 23,
37, that the city of Jerusalem stoned the prophets, while only
a few of the city did it. You say, the Turks killed the Chris-
tians, although they killed only a few. Thus Christ rode on
the asses, though he rode only on the colt, because the two
are compared to a community. What happened to one is
expressed as if it happened to all.
85. Now consider the spiritual riding. Christ rides on
the colt, its mother follows, that is, when Christ lives through
faith in the inner man we are under him and are ruled by him.
But the outer man, the ass, goes free, Christ does not ride
on her, though she follows in the rear, Tlie outer man, as
I^IRST SUNDAY IN /VDVßNT. 53
Paul says, is not willing, he strives against the inner man, nor
does he carry Christ, as Gal. 5,17 says: "The flesh lusteth
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ; for these
are contrary, the one to the other; that ye may not do the
things that ye would." Because the colt carries Christ, that is,
the Spirit is willing by grace, the ass, that is, the flesh, must
be led by the halter, for the Spirit ;chastises and crucifies the
flesh, so that it becomes subject.
86. This is the reason Christ rides upon the colt and not
upon its mother, and yet uses both for his entrance into Jeru-
salem, for both body and soul must be saved. If, here upon
earth, the body is unwilling, not capable of grace and Christ's
leading, it must bear the Spirit, upon which Christ rides, who
trains it and leads it along by the power of grace, received
through Christ. The colt, ridden by Christ, upon which no one
ever rode, is the willing spirit, whom no one before could make
willing, tame or ready, save Christ by his grace. However,
the sack-carrier, the burden-bearer, the old Adam, is the flesh,
which goes riderless without Christ; it must for this reason
bear the cross and remain a beast of burden.
87. What does it signify that the apostles, without com-
mand, put their garments on the colt? No doubt again not
all the disciples laid on their garments, nor were all their
garments put on, perhaps only a coat of one disciple. But
it is written for the spiritual meaning, as if all the garments
of all the disciples were used. It was a poor saddle and orna-
ments, but rich in meaning. I think it was the good example
of the apostles, by which the Christian church is covered, and
adorned, and Christ is praised and honored, namely, their
preaching and confession, suffering and death for Christ's
sake, as Christ says of Peter, that he would glorify God by
a like death, John 21, 19. Paul says in one of his epistles, wc
shall put on Christ, by which he doubtless wishes to show that
good works are the garments of the Christians, by which
Christ is honored and glorified before all people. In the
epistle Paul says, Rom. 13, 12: "Let us put on the armor of
light." By this he means to show that good works are gar-
ments in which we walk before the people, honorably and well
54 i^uthkr's church postil.
adorned. The examples of the apostles are the best and
noblest above all the saints, they instruct us best, and teach
Christ most clearly; therefore they should not, like the rest,
lie on the road, but on the colt, so that Christ may ride on
them and the colt go under them. We should follow these
examples, praise Christ with our confession and our life and
adorn and honor the doctrine of the Gospel as Tit. 2, 10 says.
88. Hear how Paul lays his garments on the colt, 1 Cor.
11, 1 : "Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ,"
and Heb. 13, 7 : "Remember them that had the rule over you,
men that spake unto you the Word of God; and considering
the issue of their life, imitate their faith." No saint's example
is as pure in faith as that of the apostles. All the other saints
after the apostles have an addition of human doctrine and
works. Hence Christ sits upon their garments to show that
they are true Christian and more faithful examples thant others.
89. That they set him thereon must also signify some-
thing. Could he not mount for himself? Why does he act
so formal? As I said above, the apostles would ,not preach
themselves, nor ride on the colt themselves. Paul says, 2 Cor.
1,24: "Not that we have lordshi]) over your faith." And 2
Cor. 4, 5 : "We preach not ourselves, l«ut Christ Jesus as Lord,
and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." Again, 1
Pet. 5, 3 : "Neither as lording it over the charge allotted to
you." They preached to us the pure faith and offered their
examples, that Christ might rule in us, and our faith remain
undefiled, that we might not receive their word and work as
if it were their own, but that we might learn Christ in their
words and works. But how is it today? One follows St. Fran-
cis, another St Dominic, the third this, and the fourth that
saint; and in none is Christ alone and pure faith sought; for
they belong only to the apostles.
*'And the most part of the multitude spread their garments
in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread
them in the zvay."
90. The garments are the examples of the patriarchs and
prophets, and the histories of the Old Testament. For, as we
shall learn, the multitude that went before, sig-nifies the saints
FIRST SUNDAY IN .\DVKNT. 55
before the birth of Christ, by whom the sermon in the New
Testament and the way of faith are beautifully adorned and
honored. Paul does likewise when he cites Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, and Peter cites Sarah, and, in Heb. 11, many patriarchs
are named as examples, and by these are confirmed faith and
the works of faith in a masterly way. The branches mean the
sayings of the prophets, one of which is mentioned in this
Gospel, which are not stories nor examples but the prophecy
of God. The trees are the books of the prophets. Those who
preach from these cut down branches and spread them in
the way of Christian faith.
91. All this teaches the character of an Evangelical sermon,
a sermon on the pure faith and the way of life. It must first
have the word Christ commands the apostles, saying: Go,
loose and bring hither. Then the story and example of the
apostles must be added which agree with Christ's word and
work, these are the garments of the apostles. Then must
be cited passages from the Old Testament, these are the
garments and branches of the multitude. In this way the
passages and examples of both Testaments are brought home
to the people. Of this Christ speaks in Math. 13,52: "Every
scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of
heaven, is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth
forth out of his treasure things new and old." This signifies
the two lips of the mouth, the two points of a bishop's hat,
the two ribbons on it and some other like figures. But now
none of these is kept before the eyes, the devil through the
Papists throws sulphur and pitch in the way, himself rides
on the colt and banishes Christ.
92. To spread garments in the way, means that, following
the example of the apostles, we should with our confession
and our whole life, honor, adorn and grace Christ, by giving
up all glory, wisdom and holiness of our own and bowing to
Christ in simple faith ; also that we turn everything we have,
honor, goods, life, power and body to the glory and advance-
ment of the Gospel and relinquish everything for the one
thing needful. Kings and lords and the great, powerful antl
rich should serve Christ with their goods, honor and power;
56 Luther's church postil.
further the Gospel and for its sake abandon everything. The
holy patriarchs, prophets and pious kings in the Old Testa-
ment did so by their examples. But now everything is turned
around, especially among the papal multitudes, who usurp all
honor and power against Christ and thus suppress the Gospel.
93. To cut branches from the trees and spread them in the
way means also the office of preaching and the testimony of
the Scriptures and the prophets concerning Christ. With this
the sermon of Christ is to be confirmed and all the preaching
directed to the end that Christ may be known and confessed
by it. John writes in 12, 13 that they took branches of palm-
trees and went forth to meet him. Some add, there must have
been olive branches also, because it happened on the Mount of
Olives. This is not incredible, although the Gospels do not
report it.
94. There is reason why palm-branches and olive-branches
are mentioned. They signify what is to be confessed,
preached and believed concerning Christ. It is the nature of
the palm-tree that when used as a beam, it yields to no weight
but rises against the weight. These branches are the words
of divine wisdom ; the more they are suppressed, the higher
they rise. This is true if you firmly believe in those words.
There is an invincible power in them, so that they may well
be called palm-branches, as St. Paul says in Rom. 1,16: "The
Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that
believeth ;" and as Christ says, *'The gates of hell shall not
prevail against it." Math. 16,18. Death, sin, hell and all evil
must bend before the divine Word, or only rise, when it sets
itself against them.
95. Olive branches are named, because they are words of
grace, in which God has promised us mercy. They make the
soul meek, gentle, joyful, as the oil does the body. The gra-
cious Word and sweet Gospel is typified in Gen. 8, 11, where
the dove in the evening brought in her mouth an olivebranch
with green leaves into the ark, which means, that the Holy
Spirit brings the Gospel into the Church at the end of the
world by the mouth of the apostles.
"And the multitudes that went before him, and that fol-
First Sunday in adve:nt. 57
lozved, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed
is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ; Hosanna in the
highest."
96. For this reason they carried pahn-trees before kings
and lords, when they had gained a victory and celebrated their
triumph. Again, the carrying of palm-branches was a sign
of submission, especially of such as asked for mercy and peace,
as was commonly done among ancient people.
By their pomp before Christ they indicated that they
would receive him as their Lord and King, sent by God as a
victorious and invincible Saviour, showing themselves sub-
missive to him and seeking grace from him. Christ should
be preached and made known in all the world, as the vic-
torious and invincible King against sin, death and the power
of the devil and all the world for those who are oppressed
and tormented, and as a Lord with whom they shall find
abundant grace and mercy, as their faithful Priest and Medi-
ator before God.
The word of the Gospel concerning this King is a word
of mercy and grace, which brings us peace and redemption
from God, besides invincible power and strength, as St. Paul
in Rom. 1, 16 calls the Gospel "a power of God unto salva-
tion" and "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," as
Christ says in Math. 16, 18.
97. Paul says. Heb. 13,8: "Jesus Christ is the same yester-
day and today, yea, forever." All who will be saved from the
beginning to the end of the world, are and must be Christians
and must be saved by faith. Therefore Paul says, 1 Cor. 10,
3-4: "Our fathers did all eat the same spiritual food; and
did all drink the same spiritual drink." And Christ says in
John 8, 56 : "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ;
and he saw it and was glad."
98. Hence the multitudes going before signify all Chris-
tians and saints before Christ's birth ; those who follow signify
all the saints after the birth of Christ. They all believed
in and adhered to the one Christ. The former expected him
in the future, the latter received him as the one who had come.
Hence they all sing the same song and praise and thank God
58 Luther's church postil.
in Christ. Nor may we give anything else but praise and
thanks to God, since we receive all irom him, be it grace,
word, work. Gospel, faith and everything else. The only true
Christian service is to praise and give thanks, as Ps. 50, 15
sa}'s : ''Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee,
and thou shalt glorify me."
99. What does "Hosanna to the son of David'' signify?
Hosanna in Ps. 118,25-26, means: "Save now, we beseech
thee, O Jehovah ; O Jehovah, we beseech thee, send now pros-
perity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of Jehovah."
This verse was applied to Christ and is a well-wishing as we
wish happiness and safety to a new ruler. Thus the people
thought Christ should be their worldly king, and they wish
him joy and happiness to that end. For Hosanna means:
"O, give prosperity;" or: ''Beloved, help;" or: "Beloved,
save;" or whatever else you might desire to expr'ess in such
a wish. They add: "To the son of David," and say: God
give prosperity to the son of David ! O God, give prosperity,
blessed be," etc. We would sa»y: O, dear Lord, give happi-
ness and prosperity to this son of David, for his new kingdom !
Let him enter in God's name that he may be blessed and his
kingdom prosper.
100. Mark proves clearly that they meant his kingdom when
he writes expressly In Mark 11,10, that they said: "Blessed
is the kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our father David ;
Hosanna in the highest/' When some in the churches, read it
"Osanna", it is not correct, it should be "Hosanna." They made
a woman's name out of it, and her whom the}' should call Su-
sanna they call Osanna. Susanna is a woman's name and
means a rose. Finally, after making a farce out of baptism,
the bishops baptize bells and altars, which is a great nonsense,
and call the bells Osanna. But away with the blind leaders!
We should learn here also to sing Hosanna and Hazelihana
to the son of David together with those multitudes, that is,
joyfully wish happiness and prosperity to the kingdom of
Christ, to holy Christendom, that God may put away all human
doctrine and let Christ alone be our king, who governs by his
Gospel, and permits us to be his colts! God grant it, Amen.
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 59
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT.
This sermon appeared in separate form and under special title
as early as 1522. Panzer and Weiler give eight different prints.
Its title was, "A Christian and well founded Prophecy of the Day
of Judgment and its Signs that it is near at hand. D. M. L. O
Lord help, we perish, Math. 8. Wittenberg." It was printed also
in Strassburg. Erl. 10,53; W. 11,61; St. L. ii,45-
Text: Luke 2i,2y^6. And there shall he signs in the
sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations,
ir. perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the biilozvs;
men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things zvhicJi
are coming on the zvorld: for the pozvers of the heavens
shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man
coming in a cloud with pozuer and great glory. But zvhen-
these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your
heads; because your redemption drazveth nigh.
And he spake to them a parable : Behold the fig tree, and
all the trees: zvhen they nozv shoot forth, ye see it and knozv
of your ozvn selves that the summer is nozv nigh. Even so
ye also, ziehen ye see these things coming to pass, knozv ye
that the kingdom of God is nigh. Verily I say unto you,
This generation shall not pass azvay, till all things he accom-
plished. Heaven and earth shall pass azvay: hut my zvords
shall not pass azvay. .
CONTENTS: THE COMFORT CHRISTIANS HAVE FROM
THE SIGNS OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT; AND THE
SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THESE SIGNS.
I. THE SIGNS OF THE DAY OP II. In Detail. Three classes of
JUDGMENT. signs.
I. In General. A. The first class of these
1. Although manifold and great, signs.
the world pays no attention 1. In the secular business
to these signs. 1-3. world everything has
* The secure state of the reached its climax. 5-G.
world at the time of 2. In spiritual things every-
Christ's second advent. thing has reached its
2-3 climax, especially the
2. Whether some will recog- ^^nn'^v^'^J^in ""^ ^^'"^
nize these signs when they J:. ^^' .J'^ 4. -u
come. 4. * The world does not be-
GO
LUTHERS CHURCH POST 1 1
lieve the threaten-
ings until they over-
take it. 11.
B. The second class of these
signs.
1. The darkening of the sun.
12-13.
* The course of the heav-
ens is so ordered that
signs of the Day of
Judgment shall ap-
pear there. 14.
2. The moon shall not give
her light. 15.
3. The fall of the stars. 16.
4. The people upon the earth
will be in distress and
perplexity.
a. Whether this sign will
be found among all
people. 17.
b. The nature of this sign.
18.
c. Among what persons
this sign will be true.
19.
d. This sign during the
last hundred years has
been on the increase.
20.
n. The roaring of the sea and
the billows.
a. The nature of this sign.
21.
b. Whether this sign will
be at the same time
upon all the waters.
22.
c. The' objection of human
reason to this sign
and its answer. 23-26.
6. Men fainting for fear.
a. The nature of this sign.
27.
b. Who the people are in
whom this sign shall
be seen. 27-28.
7. The shaking of the pow-
ers of the heavens.
a. What is understood by
the powers of the
heavens. 29-32.
b. The nature of this shak-
ing. 33-34.
C. The third class of these
signs. 35.
* The difference in these
comings of Christ. 36.
II. THE COMFORT CHRISTIANS
HAVE WHEN THESE SIGNS
APPEAR.
I. How and Why This Comfort
Will Be Given to All True
Christians. 37f.
* The day of judgment and the
fear before it.
1. Why believers pray God for
the coming of the day of
judgment. 37-38.
2. What we are to think of
those who fear before the
day of judgment. 39.
3. The day of judgment will
be welcome in the highest
degree to believers, but to
the godless it will be terri-
fying in the highest degree.
40.
4. What we are to answer
those who fear the day of
judgment, because they still
have sin. 41-42.
5. Who are the best armed for
the day of judgment. 42-43.
IL The nature of this comfort.
44.
III. What moved Christ to im-
part this comfort. 45.
IV. How the visionary preachers
withhold tlieir comfort
from poor souls. 46-47.
* Pew people pray the Lord's
prayer aright. 48.
* The right and the wrong use
of the fear of the day of
judgment. 49-50.
V. How Christ seeks to impress
this comfort upon us by a
parable. 51-52.
* Of the day of judgment; also
of the conversion of the
Jews.
1. An exhortation to pre-
pare well for it. 53.
2. Why Christ seeks to pre-
pare his followers for the
day of judgment. 54-55.
3. Whether all the Jews
will be converted before
the day of judgment. 56.
4. Whether on the day of
judgment heaven and
earth will be destroyed.
57.
5. Where the souls will be
on the day of judgment,
when the world passes
away in fire. 58.
III. THE SPIRITUAL INTER-
PRETATION OF THESE
SIGNS.
I. The spiritual interpretation
in general. 59.
II. The spiritual interpretation
in detail.
1. The spiritual meaning of the
sun being darkened. 60.
2. Of the moon failing to give
her light. 61.
3. Of the falling of the stars.
62.
* The Turks are better than
the priests and monks
in the Papacy. 62-63.
4. Of men fainting for fear. 64.
5. Of the roaring of the sea.
65.
6. Of the powers and their be-
ing shaken. 66.
7. Of the fig tree. 67.
HI. The conclusion of the spir-
itual interpretation. 68.
SECOND SUNDAY IN .\DVENT. 61
I. THE SIGNS OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.
1. The first thing for us to understand Is that although
the signs preceding the judgment day are many and great,
they will all be fulfilled, even though none or very few men
take note of or esteem them as such. For two things must
take place according to the Word and prophecy of Christ
and the apostles: first, that many and great signs will be
made manifest; and secondly, that the last day will come
unawares, the world not expecting it, even though that day
be at the door. Though men see these signs, yea, be told
that they are signs of the last day, still they will not believe,
but in their security mockingly say: "Thou fool, hast thou
fear that the heavens will fall and that we shall live to see
that day?"
2. Some, indeed, must see it, and it will be those who
least expect it. That there will be such security and indif-
ference among men, let us prove by the words of Christ and
the apostles. Christ says in the 34th and 35th verses : "Take
heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and
that day come on you suddenly as a snare: for so shall
it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth."
From these words it is clear, that men in great measure will
give themselves over to surfeiting and drunkenness and the
cares of this life, and that, drowned as it were in these things,
they will rest secure and continue to dwell on the earth as
if the dreadful day were far away. For, were there no such se-
curity and heedlessness, that day would not break in unawares.
But he says, it will come as a snare by which birds and beasts
are caught at a time when most concerned about their food
and least expecting to be entrapped. In this figure he gives
us clearly to understand that the world will continue its
carousing, eating and drinking, building and planthig, and
diligently seeking after earthly things, and will look upon the
day of judgment as yet a thousand and more years off, when,
in the twinkling of an eye, they may stand before the ter-
rible judgment bar of God.
3. The words of Christ in Luke 17, 24 sav the same : ''For
62 luthi^r's church postii..
as the lightning, when it hghteneth out of the one part under
the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so
shall the Son of man be in his day." See here again that the
day will break upon the world with the utmost suddenness.
The same further appears in what follows in verses 26-29:
"As it was in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the
days of the Son of man. They ate, they drank, they married,
they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah en-
tered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot ; they ate,
they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded ;
but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. After the
same manner it shall be in the day that the Son of man
is revealed." These words abundantly show that people will
rest so secure and will be so deeply buried beneath the cares
of this life, that they will not believe the day is at hand.
4. There is now no doubt that Christ did not foretell
these signs in the expectation that no one would note nor
recognize them when they should appear; although few in-
deed will do so, just as in the days of Noah and Lot but few
knew the punishment in store for them. Were this not true,
the admionition of Christ would have been in vam : "When
ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom
of God is nigh." Then, "Lift up your heads, because your
redemption draweth nigh." There must then be some, at least,
who do recognize the signs, and lift up their heads and wait
for their redemption, although they do not really know on
what day that will come. We should be careful, therefore,
to note whether the signs are being fulfilled now, or have
been or will be in the future.
5. I do not wish to force any one to believe as I do;
neither will I permit anyone to deny me the right to believe
that the last day is near at hand. These words and signs of
Christ compel me to believe that such is the case. For the
liistory of the centuries that have passed since the birth of
Christ nowhere reveals conditions like those of the present.
There has never been such building and planting in the world.
SKCOND SUNDAY IN .-VDVEiNT. 63
There has never been such ghittonous and varied eating and
drinking as now. Wearing apparel has reached its limit in
costliness. ^MlO has ever heard of such commerce as now
encircles the earth? There have arisen all kinds of art and
sculpture, embroidery and engraving, the like of which has
not been seen during the whole Christian era.
6. In addition men are so delving into the mysteries of
things that today a boy of twenty knows more than twenty
doctors formerly knew. There is such a knowledge of lan-
guages and all manner of wisdom that it must be confessed,
the world has reached such great heights in the things that
pertain to the body, or as Christ calls them, ''cares of life",
eating, drinking, building, planting, buying, selling, mar-
rying and giving in marriage, that every one must see and say
either ruin or a change must come. It is hard to see how
a change can come. Day after day dawns and the same con-
ditions remain. There was never such keenness, understand-
ing and judgment among Christians in bodily and temporal
things as now — I forbear to speak of the new inventions,
printing, fire-arms, and other implements of war.
7. But not only have such great strides been made in
the world of commerce, but also in the spiritual field have
there been great changes. Error, sin, and falsehood have
never held sway in the world as in these last centuries.
The Gospel has been openly condemned at Constance, and
the false teachings of the Pope have been adopted as
law though he practiced the greatest extortion. Daily
mass is celebrated many hundred thousand times in the world,
and thereby the greatest sin committed. By confession, sacra-
ment, indulgence, rules and laws, so many souls are driven
to condemnation that it seems God has given the whole world
over to the devil. In short it is not possible that there should
be greater falsehood, more heinous error, more dreadful blind-
ness, and more obdurate blasphemy than have ruled in the
church through the bishops, cloisters, and universities. As a
result Aristotle, a blind heathen, teaches and rules Christians
more than does Christ.
8. Moreover the pope has attempted to abolish Christ and
64 Luther's church postil.
to become his vicar. He occupies the throne of Christ on
earth, would to God he occupied the devil's throne instead.
I forbear to speak of the grosser forms of sin, unchastity,
murder, infidelity, covetousness, and the like, which are all
practiced without shame or fear. Unchastity has taken forms
against nature, and has affected no station or condition more
than the spiritual character of the clergy — shall I call it spir-
itual, since it is so fleshly and void of all simplicity?
9. Whatever other signs may appear before Christ's com-
ing, I know that, according to the words of Christ, these will
be present: surfeiting and drunkenness, building and planting,
buying and selling, marrying and giving in marriage, and other
cares of this life. Just as certain to me is also the saying of
Christ in Math. 2, 15, where he speaks of the abomination of
desolation, the Antichrist, tuider whose rule gross error, blind-
ness, and sin shall flourish, just as they now flourish under the
Pope in the most tyrannical and shameless form. This above
all else compels me to believe that Christ will soon come to
judgment; for such sins cry to heaven, and so provoke and
defy the last day that it must soon break in upon them.
If it were only the unchastity of the antediluvian world, or
the worldliness of Sodom, I would not believe the last day
is so near at hand. But to destroy, root out, condemn and blas-
pheme divine service, God's Word and the Sacraments, the
children of God and everything that belongs to God ; and to
worship and honor the devil instead and to proclaim his lies
for the Word of God — such sins, I am firmly convinced, will
put an end to the world before we are aware of it. Amen.
10. But the apostles have also prophesied concernig this
self-security of men as the judgment day approaches. Paul
says in 1 Thes. 5, 2-3 : "The day of the Lord so Cometh as
a thief in the night. When they are saying, Peace and safety,
then sudden destruction cometh upon them." Now we know
that a thief never comes but when one feels most secure and
least expects him. And 2 Pet. 8,3-10 we read: "In the
last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their
own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?
From the da>' the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVPjNT. 65
were from the beginning of the creation. . . . But the day of
the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which
the heavens shall pass away with a great noise etc." Who are
they that walk after their own lusts but the papal clergy ? They
wish to be subject neither to God nor to man, but expect the
world to recognize it as their right to live as they please and to
do what they like. It is these that say, Where is the promise
of his coming? Do you think the last day will break in upon
us so soon? Things will continue as they have in the past.
11. We also read in the history of the destruction of Jeru-
salem that many signs were fulfilled, yet they would not believe
them to be tokens of the coming destruction until judgment
was executed. Finally, from the beginning of the world, it
has ever been so, that the unbelieving could not believe the
day of calamity to be near — they always experienced it before
they believed it. This is in fulfilment of Psalm 55, 23 :
"Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their
days," for they presume upon the continuance of their days and
have no fear, and so the hour must come tmawares. So here
people are putting off the judgment for yet a thousand years
when it may break in upon them in a night. This is the first
class of signs which presage the nearness of the day of God.
Let us now consider the second class.
"And there shall he signs in the sun"
12. This sign to be given in the sun is that it will lose its
brightness, after the manner in which it has often occurred,
as Math. 24, 29, says : "The sun shall be darkened." I will
not trespass here again but express my opinion. Some think
that the sun is to be darkened as never to shine again; but
this cannot be the meaning, for day and night must continue
to the end, as God foretells, Gen. 8,22: "While the earth
remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and sum-
mer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." This sign
must therefore, not interfere with day and night and still be
fulfilled before the judgment day, for it is a token of its com-
ing. It cannot, therefore, be more than a darkening of the sun
in its accustomed course.
18. Now at all times such a sign in the sun has been looked
66 luthkr's church postiIv.
upon as foreboding misfortune or disaster, which also often
followed, as history abundantly shows. Thus we have had, it
seems to me, the last few years more and more frequent eclip-
ses of the sun than in any other like period of time. God has
spared us and no great evil has come upon us. For this reason
these signs are not noticed. In addition, astronomers have
told us, and rightly so, that these eclipses are but natural phe-
nomena. As a result the tokens are still more despised and
carnal security increased. Nevertheless God in carrying on
his work in silence, gives us security and moves forward in
his plans. Whatever the natural course of the heavens may
be, these signs are always tokens of his wrath and predict
sure disaster for the future. If these are not seen, shall God
make other suns and moons and stars and show other signs
in them?
14. The course of the heavens has been so arranged from
eternity that before the last day these signs must appear. The
heathen say that the comet is a natural product ; but God has
created none that is not a token of future evil. Thus also the
blind leader, Aristotle, writing a book about the phenomena
of the heavens, attributes all to nature and declares these are
no signs. Our learned men follow him and thus one fool fills
the world with fools. Let us know that though the heavenly
bodies wander in their courses according to law, God has still
made these to be signs or tokens of his wrath.
^^And in the moon."
15. This sign is given in Math. 24, 29, to the effect that ''the
moon shall not give her light" ; that is, it will lose its bright-
ness. The same is to be said of this as of the signs in the sun,
no matter how natural it may be. Is it not true that scarcely a
year has passed of late in which sun or moon or both have
been eclipsed, sometimes one of them twice a year? If these
are not signs, then, what are signs? It may be that at other
times more were seen than now, but surely not in more rapid
succession. When Jerusalem was to be destroyed, some signs
preceded which had occurred before, but they were still new
tokens.
"And in the stars,"
SE:C0ND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 67
16. According to Math. 24, 29, "the stars shall fall from
heaven." This is seen almost daily. Whether it was seen as
frequently in former days as now, I cannot say. Aristotle
again talks about the nature of the thing; but the Gospel,
which is the word and wisdom of God, pronounces the falling
of the stars a sign and there let the matter rest. Wherefore
if the stars fall or the sun and moon fail to give their light, be
assured that these are signs of the last day ; for the Gospel can-
not utter falsehood. While in these years there have been so
many showers of stars, they are all harbingers of the last day,
just as Christ says ; for they must appear often in order that the
great day may be abundantly pointed out and proclaimed.
These signs appear and pass but no one considers them ; so it
shall be that they will wait for other signs just as the Jews
are waiting for another Christ.
"And upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity/'
17. This is not to be understood that all nations and all
people among these nations w411 so suffer ; for you must note
that these are to be signs. Stars do not fall from the heavens at
all times ; the sun does not lose its brightness for a whole year
or a month, but for an hour or two ; the moon does not refuse to
give its light for a whole week or a whole night, but, like the
sun, for an hour or two — that all these may be tokens without
changing or perverting the order of things. Hence not many
will suffer distress and anxiety, but only a few ; and even with
these it will be only at times that they be signs to those
who despise the idea, and attribute all to the complexion or to
the melancholy or to the influence of the planets or to any
other natural cause. IMeanwhile such clear harbingers of the
day pass by unobserved, and there happens what Christ said
of the Jews in IMath. 13, 14, that though hearing and seeing
they do not understand.
18. ''Distress of nations in perplexity" does not refer to
the body. For, as we have already heard, there will be peace
and joy in abundance. People will eat and drink, build and
plant, buy and sell, marry and be given in marriage, dance and
play, and wrap themselves up in this present life as if they
expected to abide here forever. I take it that it is the condition
68 IvUTHKR^S CHURCH POSTII..
of agonized conscience. For since the Gospel, by which alone
the troubled «conscience can be comforted, is condemned, and
in its stead there are set up doctrines of men, which teach us to
lay aside sin and earn heaven by works ; there must come a
burdened and distressed conscience, a conscience that can find
no rest, that would be pious, do good and be saved, that tor-
ments itself and yet does not know how to find satisfaction.
Sin and conscience oppress, and however much is done no
rest is found. By these the sinner becom.es so distressed that
he knows not what to do nor whither to flee. Hence arise
so many vows and pilgrimages and worship of the saints and
chapters for mass and vigils. Some castigate and torture
themselves, some become monks, or that they may do more
they become Carthusian monks.
These are all works of distressed and perplexed conscien-
ces, and are in reality the distress and perplexity of which
Luke here speaks. He uses two words which suggest this
meaning, a man gets into close quarters as though he were cast
into a narrow^ snare or prison ; he becomes anxious and does
not know how he may extricate himself; he becomes bewil-
dered and attempts this and that and yet finds no way of
escape. Under such conditions he would be distressed and
perplexed. In such a condition are these consciences ; sin has
taken them captive, they are in straits and are distressed. They
want to escape but another grief o'ertakes them, they are per-
plexed for they know not where to begin — they try every ex-
pedient but find no help.
I9. It is indeed true that the masses do not become so
afflicted, but only the few and generally the most sensible,
scrupulous, and good-hearted individuals who have no desire
to harm any one and would live honorable lives. It may be
they foster some secret sin, as for example unchastity. This
burdens them day and night so that they never are truly happy.
Rut this is game for the mouks and priests, for here they can
practice extortion, especiallyy with women : here people con-
fess, are taught, absolved, and go whithersoever the confessor
directs. Meanwhile the people arc the Lord's token of the last
SKCOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 69
day. To such the Gospel is hghl and comfort while it condemns
the others.
20. Neither can anyone deny this sign, for it has been
so common these hundreds of years that many have become
insane over it, as Gerson informs us. Although at all times there
have been people so distressed and perplexed, it was formerly
not so common as now. From the beginning of the world no
human doctrine exercised the tenth part or even the hundreth
part of the influence, or tortured and seared so many con-
sciences as the doctrines of the pope and his disciples,. the monks
and priests. Such perplexed hearts will necessarily grow out
of the papal doctrine of confession which has never been so
earnestly promulgated as now. Therefore this has never been
a token of the judgment until now. There must be many and
great signs, therefore, and they be» despised by most men.
''For the roaring of the sea and the hillozvs"
21. This will take place through the winds, for all roaring
of the waters comes by means of the storm. Therefore the Lord
would say by these words that many and great storms will
arise. By sea, however, is not to be understood simply the
ocean, but all gathered waters, according to the language of
Scripture, Gen. 1,10: *'And the gathering together of the
waters called he seas," be they oceans, seas or lakes. Rivers
on the other hand are changable flowing waters.
22. It is not to be supposed that all waters, streams, lakes,
seas, oceans, will, at the same time and in the same way, be-
come stormy and boisterous. Some seas are thus to be moved
and this is to be the sign unto us. For as not all stars fall and
not all nations are distressed in perplexity, so shall not all
waters roar nor all places be visited by the storm.
23. Here heathen art will sit in the schools and with wide
open mouth will say, "Did you see the storm or hear the sea
and the waves roaring? Aristotle clearly teaches that these
are but natural phenomena." Let us pass these by and know
that God's Word and tokens are despised by the wisdom of the
gods. Do you hold fast to the Gospel — this teaches you to
believe that storms and detonations in the sea are signs and
tokens. And however many times such signals have been
70 luth^r's church postil.
given in other days, they shall nevertheless become more
numerous and terrible as the day of doom approaches.
24. It seems to me that within the space of ten or twelve
years, there have been such storms and tempests and waters
roaring as have never before been seen or heard. We are
to consider, therefore, that although in former times these
signs came singly and at less frequent intervals, now they ap-
pear many and frequent. In our time both sun and moon are
darkened, stars fall, distress of nations is present, winds and
waves are roaring, and many other signs are being fulfilled.
They are all coming in a heap.
25. We haev lately also seen so many comets and so many
calamities have fallen from the skies and there has arisen the
hitherto unknown disease, syphilis. Also how many signs and
wonders have been seen in the heavens, as suns, moons, stars,
rainbows, and many other strange sights. Dear hearer, let
them be signs, great signs, tokens that mean much; so that
neither the astronomers nor heathen astrologers can say they
simply follow the ordinary course of nature, for they knew
nothing of them before nor did they prophesy of them.
26. No astronomer will say that the course of the heavens
foretold the coming of the terrible beast which the Tiber threw
up a few years ago ; a beast with the head of an ass, the breast
and body of a woman, the foot of an elephant for its right
hand, with the scales of a fish on its legs, and the head of a
dragon in its hinder parts, etc. This beast* typifies the papacy
and the great wrath and punishment of God. Such a mass of
signs presages greater results than the mind of man can con-
ceive.
Before proceeding further it might be well to consider
the testimony concerning the last day w^hich the celebrated
teacher, Latantius Firmianus, gave about A. D. 320, in his
work entitled "Divinarum Institutlonum", in the seventh book
and fifteenth chapter : When the end of the world draws near,
the condition of human affairs must materially s:hange and
*- In the yoar 1490. Compare "Deutung der zwo greulichen Figu-
ren, Papstesels zu Rom und Moenchkalbs zu Freiberg in Meissen
fuiHlen. Phil. Mohincht lion. Dr. Martin J^uthor." W^ittenberg. 152?..
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVKNT. 71
take on a more wicked form. Then will malice and wicked-
ness prevail to such a degree that our age, in which malice
and wickedness have almost reached their highest pitch, will
be looked upon as happy and treasured as golden in compari-
son with that time when no one will be able to help or give ad-
vice. Then will righteousness become practically unknown,
and blasphemy, covetousness, impure desires, and unchastity
become common. Then will the godly become a prey to the
most wicked and be vexed and grieved by them. At the same
time only the wicked will be rich and well to do, while the
godly will be driven hither and thither in shame and poverty.
Justice will be perverted, law will be overthrown, and no one
will have aught else but that which he can secure by his own
strength. Daring and strength will possess all. There will be
neither faith nor confidence left in man, neither peace, nor
loveliness, nor shame, nor truth, and as a result, no safety, no
government, no rest of any kind from the reprobate. For
all lands will become rebellious, everywhere men will rage
and war with one another, the whole world will be in arms,
and bring destruction to itself.
''Men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things
zvhich are coming on the zvorld."
27. Here, again it is not the profligate mass, who disre-
gard God's tokens and refer all to natural causes, that shall
realize these, but rather the better class, and the most distin-
guished, who take these things to heart and are given to re-
flection. By "men fainting for fear" is to be understood
that they shall be frightened to death, or the next thing to
death; and that their fear shall consume them and rob them
of their strength. What do they fear and wait for? Christ
says : "The things which are coming on the world ;" that is,
the last day, the terrible judgment, hell fire, and eternal death.
Why do they fear and look for these things, and not the
world upon whom they will come rather than upon them ? Be-
cause these are the tokens of God which are to be despised
and rejected by the world.
28. I am not yet a1)le to say who these people are, unless
it be those who are exposed to and have to do with the temp-
72 lutht^^r's church postil.
tations of death and hell, concerning whom Tauler writes. For
such temptations consume flesh and blood, yea, bone and mar-
row, and arc death itself. No one can endure them except he
be miraculously sustained. A number of patriarchs have tasted
them, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David ; but near the end
of the world they will be more common. This token will then
greatly increase, although it is present now more than is gen-
erally known. There are individuals who are in the perils
of death and are wrestling with him ; they feel that which will
come over the whole world and fear that it will come upon
and abide with them. It is to be hoped, however, that such
people are in a state of grace. For Christ speaks as if he
would separate the fear and the thing which they fear; and
so divides these that he gives to them the fear and to the world
that which they fear. It is to be presumed that by this fear
and anxiety, they are to have their hell and death' here, while
the world, which fears nothing, will have death and hell here-
after.
"For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken/'
29. By the powers of heaven some understand the angels
of heaven. But since Christ speaks of signs, and says we shall
see them and in them recognize the coming of the last day,
they must surely be visible tokens and be percieved with the
bodily senses. For those people whose consciences are in dis-
tress and whose hearts are failing from fear, though this be an
affection of the soul, yet manifest it by word and countenance.
Therefore these powers of heaven must be such as can be
really shaken and so percieved.
30. But the Scriptures speak in a two-fold way concerning
the powers of heaven. At one time they are spoken of as the
powerful heavens or the heavens which are among all crea-
tures the most powerful, as is written, Gen. 1, 8, ''And God
called the firmament" — that is, expanse or fortress — ''heaven" ;
for every creature under heaven is ruled and strenghtened by
the light, heat and movements of the heavens. What would
the earth be without the heavens but a dark and desert waste ?
Like princes and nobles in the world, the Scriptures call the
SKCOND SUNDAY IN ADVKNT. 73
heavens powerful because they rule over the bodies beneath
them.
31. At another time the powers of heaven signify the
hosts of heaven, as Psalm 33, 6 says : ''By the word of Jeho-
vah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the
breath of his mouth." And Gen. 2, 1 : "And the heavens and
the earth were finished, and all the host of them." It is the
common custom of the Scriptures to speak in this way of the
powers of heaven. And it is clear from these pasages that the
hosts or powers of heaven include all that is in them; in the
heavens, the sun, moon, stars, and other heavenly bodies; on
earth, man and beast, birds and fish, trees, herbs and whatever
else lives upon it.
32. The passage before us may therefore mean the powers
of heaven in both senses, probably chiefly the hosts of heaven.
Christ would say that all creatures shall be shaken and shall
serve as tokens of that day; sun and moon with darkening,
the stars with falling, the nations with w^ars, men with hearts
failing from fear, the earth with earthquakes, the waters with
winds and roaring, the air with infection and pestilence, and
the heavens with their hosts.
33. I do not know just what is meant by the moving of
the hosts of heaven unless it be manifestations like those of the
great constellation of the planets in 1524. For the planets are
certainly among the most important of the powers and hosts
of heaven, and their remarkable gathering together into one
constellation is surely a token for the world. Christ does not
say that all the hosts of heaven will be moved, but some of
them only ; for not all stars shall fall from their places, nor all
men be overcome with fear, nor all waters at the same time
be in noisy commotion, nor sun and moon be every day dark-
ened; for these are to be but signs, which can only occur at
particular times and in a few places, that they may be some-
thing special, and singled out as tokens from the great mass
which are not such. It is quite probable, therefore, that these
movements of the powers of heaven are such movements of
the constellations of the planets. Astrologers interpret them
to signify the coming of another flood; God grant that they
74 Luther's church postil.
may rather presage the comi'ng of the last day.
34. Let us not be mistaken, however, and think that these
constellations are the product of the natural course of the
heavenly bodies. As such Christ calls them signs and desires
us to take special note of them, appearing, as they do, not
alone but with a multitude of other tokens. Let the unbeliever
doubt and despise God's tokens and speak of them as simply
natural ; but let us hold fast to the Gospel.
35. There are many other signs elsewhere described in
the Scriptures, such as earthquakes, famine, pestilence, and
wars as in Luke 17, 20 and Math. 24, 7. We have seen much
of these for they have been common at all times. Still they
are tokens appearing by the side of others. It is a known
fact also that wars at the present time are of such a character
as to make former wars appear as mere child's play. But
since our Gospel of today does not speak of these, let us not
consider them further. Only let us consider them as signs,
great signs, signifying great things ; alas, they are already
despised and forgotten !
"And then shall they see the Son of man eoming in a cloud
with pozver and great glory."
36. Here power may again signify the hosts of angels,
saints, and all creatures that will come with Christ to judg-
ment (I believe this is the correct interpretation) ; or it may
mean the special power and might which will characterize this
coming of Christ in contradistinction to hi's first coming. He
says not only that he will come, but that they shall see him
come. At his birth he came also, but men did not recognize
him. He comes now through the Gospel in a spiritual manner,
into the hearts of believers. This also is not by observation.
But his last coming Avill be such that all must see him as Rev.
1,7 says, "And every eye shall see him." And they shall see
that he is none other than the man Christ Jesus, i'n bodily form,
as he was born of the virgin Mary and walked upon this earth.
He might have said they shall see me, but that would not
have clearly indicated his bodily form. But when he says:
''They shall see the Son of man," he clearly indicates that it
will be a bodily coming, a bodily seeing in bodily form : a com-
SE:C0ND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 75
ing in great power and glory, accompanied b}- the hosts of
heaven. He shaU sit upon the clouds and be accompanied by
all the saints. The Scriptures speak much of that day and
everywhere point to the same. This, then, is said concerning
the signs. The Saviour adds words of comfort for Christians
in the presence of these signs.
IL THE COMFORT CHRISTIANS HAVE WHEN
THESE SIGNS APPEAR.
"And when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and
lift up your heads; because your redemption drazveth nigh"'
37. Here you may say, who can lift up his head in the
face of such terrible wrath and judgment? If the whole world
is filled with fear at that day, and lets fall its head and coun-
tenance out of terror and anxiety ; how shall we look up and
lift up our heads, which evidently means, how shall we mani-
fest any joy in and longing for these signs ? In answer I would
say that all this is spoken only to those wdio are really Chris-
tians and not to heathen and Jews. True Christians are so
afflicted with all manner of temptations and persecutions that
in this life they are miserable. Therefore they wait and long
and pray for redemption from sin and all evil ; as we also pray
in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come", and ''Deliver us
from evil." If we are true Christians we will earnestly and
heartily join in this prayer. If we do not so pray, we are
not yet true Christians.
38. If we pray aright, our «condition must truly be such
that, however terrible these signs may be, we will look up to
them with joy and earnest desire, as Christ admonishes:
"When these things begin to come to pass, look up." He
does not say. Be filled with fear or drop your heads; for
there is coming that for which we have been so earnestly
praying. If we really wish to be freed from sin and death
and hell, we must look forward to this coming of the Lord
with joy and pleasure.
St. Paul also says, in 2 Tim. 4, 8, "Henceforth there is laid
up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give to me at that day: and not only to
76 i.uthdr's church postil.
me, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.'' If
he gives the crown to those who love his appearing, what will
he give to those who hate and dread it? Without doubt,
to enemies, eternal condemnation. Titus 2, 13 says, "Look-
ing for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the
Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." And Luke 12, 36,
"And be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord,
when he shall return from the marriage feast."
39. But what do those do who are filled with fear and do
not desire to have him come, when they pray, "Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done," "deliver us from the evil one?" Do
they not stand in the presence of God and lie to their own
hurt? Do they not strive against the will of God who will
have this day for the redemption of the saints? It is neces-
sary, therefore, that we exercise great care lest we be found
to hate and to dread that day. Such dread is a bad omen
and belongs to the damned, whose cold minds and hard
hearts must be terrified and broken, if perchance they might
reform.
40. But to believers that day will be comforting and
sweet. That day will be the highest joy and safety to the
believer, and the deepest terror and anguish to the unbeliever ;
just as also in this life the truths of the Gospel are exceed-
ingly sweet to the godly and exceedingly hateful to the wicked.
Why should the believer fear and not rather exceedingly re-
joice, since he trusts in Christ who comes as judge to redeem
him and to be his everlasting portion.
41. But you say I would indeed await his coming with
joy, if I were holy and without sin. I should answer, what
relief do you find in fear and flight? It would not redeem
you from sin if you were to be filled with terror for a thousand
years. The damned are eternally filled with fear of that day,
but this does not take away their sin; yea, this fear rather
increases sin and renders man unfit to appear without sin on
that day when it comes. Fear must pass out of the soul
and there must enter in a desire for righteou^^ness and for that
day. But if you really desire to be free from sin and to be
holy, then give thanks to God and continue to desire to be
»KCOND SUNDAY IN ADVE:nT. 77
more free from sin. Would to God that such desire were
so sincere and powerful in you as to bring you to your death.
42. There is no one so well prepared for the judgment
day as he who longs to be without sin. If you have suck
desire, what do you fear? You are then in perfect accord
v/ith the purpose of that day. It comes to set free from sin
all who desire it, and you belong to that number. Return
thanks to God and abide in that desire. Christ says his coming
is for our redemption. But do not deceive yourself and be
satisfied, perhaps, with the simple desire to be free from sin
and to await the coming of the day without fear. Perhaps
}Our heart is false and you are filled with fear, not because you
would be free from sin, but because in the face of that day you
cannot sin free and untrammeled. See to it that the light
within you be not darkness. For a heart that would be truly
free from sin will certainly rejoice in the day that fulfills its
desire. If the heart does not so rejoice there is no true desire
to be loosed from its sin.
43. Therefore we must above all things lay aside all
hatred and abhorrence of this day, and exercise diligence that
we may really desire to have our sins taken away. When
this is done, we may not only calmly await the day, but with
heartfelt desire and joy pray for it and say, "Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done." In this you must cast aside all feel-
ings and conceit, hold fast to the comforting words of Christ,
and rest in them alone.
44. Could he admonish, comfort, and strengthen you in
a more delicate and loving manner ? In the first place he says,
You will hear of wars, but you should have no fears. And
when he tells you to have no fears, what else does he mean
than that he commands you to be of good cheer and to discern
the signs with joy? Secondly, he tells you to look up; thirdly,
to lift up your heads ; and fourthly, he speaks of your redemp-
tion. What can comfort and strengthen you if such a word
does not? Do you think he would deceive you and try to lead
you into a false confidence ? My dear hearer, let such a word
not have been said in vain: thank God and trust in it — there
is no other comfort or advice if you cast this to the winds.
iö I^UTHER S CHURCH POSTII..
It is not your condemnation but your redemption of which
Christ speaks. Will you turn his words around and say, It
is not your redemption but your condemnation? Will you
flee from your own salvation? Will you not greet and thank
your God who comes out to meet and to greet you?
45. He has no doubt also spoken this word for the faint-
hearted who, although they are devout and prepared for the
last day, are yet filled with great anxiety and are hindered
in taking part in his coming wdth that desire which should
be found at the end of the world ; therefore he calls attention
to their redemption. For when at the end of the world sin
will hold such sway, and by the side of sin the punishment
for sin with pestilence, war and famine, it will be necessary
to give to believers strength and comfort against both evils,
sin and its punishment. Therefore he uses the sweet and
comforting word redemption which is so dear to the heart of
man. What is redemption? Who would not be redeemed?
Who would have a desire to abide in the desert of sin and
punishment? Who would not wish an end to such misery
and woe, such perils for souls, such ruin for man? Especially
should this be the case when the Saviour allures, invites and
comforts us in such an endearing way.
46. The godless fanatical preachers are to be censured who
in their sermons deprive people of these words of Christ and
faith in them, who desire to make people devout by terrifying
them and v^ho teach them to prepare for the last day by
relying upon their good works as satisfaction for their
sins. Here despair, fear and terror must remain and grow
and with it hatred, aversion and abhorrence for the coming
of the Lord, and enmity against God be established in the
heart ; for they picture Christ as nothing but a stern judge
whose wrath must be appeased by works, and they never
present him as the Redeemer, as he calls and offers himself,
of whom wc are to expect that out of pure grace he will
redeem us from sin and evil.
47. Such is always the result where the Gospel is not
rightly proclaimed. When hearts are only driven by commands
and threats, they will only be estranged from God and be led
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 79
to abhor him. We ought to terrify, but only the obstinate and
hardened; and when these have become terrified and dejected
also, we ought to strengthen and comfort.
48. From all this we learn how few there are who pray
the Lord's Prayer acceptably even though it is prayed un-
ceasingly in all the world. There are few who would not
rather that the day would never come. This is nothing else
than to desire that the kingdom of God may not come. There-
fore the heart prays contrary to the lips, and while God
judges according to the heart, they judge according to the
lips. For this reason they institute so many prayers, fill all
the churches with their bawling and think they pray aright when
in reality their prayer is: "May thy kingdom not come, or
not just yet." Tell me, is not such a prayer blasphemy? Is it
not of such a prayer that the Psalmist speaks in Ps. 109, 7,
"Let his prayer be turned into sin." How men are applying
all the w^ealth of the world to fill every nook and corner of it
with such blasphemy, and then are calling it a divine service!
49. Yet he who feels such fear must not despair, but
rather use it wisely. Pie uses it wisely who permits such fear
to urge and admonish him to pray for grace that this fear
might be taken away and he be given joy and delight in that
day. Christ has promised. Math. 7, 8, "Everyone that asketh
receiveth." Therefore those who are fearful are nearer their
salvation than the hard-hearted and reprobate, who neither
fear nor find comfort in that day. For though they do not
have a desire for it, they have a something within which ad-
monishes them to pray for such a desire.
50. On the other hand, he uses fear unwisely who allows it
to increase and abides in the same, as though he could thereby
be cleansed from sin. This leads to nothing good. Not fear,
which, as John says, 1 John 4, 18, must be cast out, will
remain in that day, but love which, St. Paul says in 1 Cor.
13,8, must abide. Fear is to be a power to drive us to seek
such love and pray for it. Where fear is not cast out it opposes
the will of God and antagonizes your own salvation; it thus
becomes a sin against the Holy Spirit. It is, however, not
necessary to say that the individual must be altogether with-
80 Luther's church postil.
out fear, for we still have human nature abiding in us. This
is weak and cannot exist altogether without the fear of death
and the judgment; but the spirit must be uppermost in the
mind, as Christ says, Math. 26, 41, "The spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak.*'
''And he spake to them a parable: Behold the ßg tree, and
all the trees: when they now shoot forth, ye see it and know
of your own selves that the summer is now nigh. Even so ye
also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that
the kingdom of God is nigh."
51. Pure words of comfort are these. He does not put
forth a parable from the fall or winter season when all the trees
are bare and the dreary days begin; but a parable from the
spring and summer season, when everything is joyous, when all
creation buds forth and rejoices. By this he clearly teaches that
we are to look forward to the last day with as much joy and
delight as all creation shows in spring and summer. What
is the meaning of this parable if in it he does not teach us this ?
He could have found others that were not so joyous.
52. In applying it, he does not say your hell or condemna-
tion is at hand, but the kingdom of God. What else does it
signify that the kingdom of God is at hand than that our
redemption is near? The kingdom of God is but ourselves,
as Christ says, Luke 17,21, ''For lo, the kingdom of God is
within you ;" therefore, it draweth nigh when we are nearing
our redemption from sin and evil. In this life it begins in the
spirit ; but since we must still battle with sin and suffer much
evil, and since death is still before us, the kingdom of God is
not yet perfect in us. But when once sin and death and all evil
are taken away, then will it be perfect. This the last day will
bring and not this life.
53. Therefore, my dear hearer, examine your life, probe
vour heart to ascertain how it is disposed toward this day.
Do not put your trust in your own good life, for that would
soon be put to shame ; but think of and strengthen your faith
in order that the day may not be a terror to you as to the
damned, but be your joy as the day of your salvation and of
the kin£r<'lom of God in vou. Then when you think or hear of
SE;C0ND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 81
the same, your heart will leap for joy and earnestly long for
its coming. If you do not wish to pronounce judgment upon
yourself, then do not think that you would be able to stand
in that day even with the meritorious deeds of all the saints.
^'Verily I say unto yon, This generation shall not pass away ,
till all things he accomplished. Heaven and earth shall pass
away: but my words shall not pass away"
54. Why does the Lord so fortify his Word and confirm
it beyond measure by parables, oaths, and tokens of the gene-
ration which shall remain though heaven and earth pass
away? This all happens because, as was said above, all the
world is so secure and with open eyes despises the signs to
such a degree that perhaps no word of God has been so despised
as this which foretells and characterizes the judgment day.
It will appear to the world that there are no signs ; and even
though people should see them, they will still not believe.
Even the very elect of God may doubt such words and tokens,
in order that the day may come when the world is never so
secure and thus be suddenly overwhelmed in its security, as St.
Paul said above.
55. Therefore Christ would assure us and wake us up
to look for the day when the signs appear. We are to realize
that though the signs be uncertain, those are not in danger who
look upon them as tokens, while those who despise them are
in the greatest danger. Hence let us play with certainties
and consider the above-named signs as truly such lest we run
with the unspiritual. If we are mistaken, we have after all
hit the mark; if they are mistaken, it Is a mistake for eternity
with them.
56. Jesus calls the Jews "this generation." This passage,
therefore, clearly indicates that the common saying is not true
which holds that all the Jewes will become Christians ; and that
the passage, John 10, 16, "And they shall become one flock
and one shepherd," is not fulfilled when the Jews go over to
the heathen, but when the heathen came to the Jews and be-
jcame Christians at the time of the apostles, as St. Augustine
often explains. Christ's words in John 10, 16 indicate the
same, ''And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold;
82 i^uther's church posxii,.
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and they
shall become one flock and one shepherd." Note that he
speaks clearly of the heathen who have come to the Jewish
fold; therefore the passage has been long since fulfilled. But
here he says, "This generation shall not pass away" till the
end come ; that is, the Jews who crucified Christ must remain
as a token. And although many will be converted, the gene-
ration and Jewish character must remain.
57. Some have also been concerned about how heaven and
earth will pass away, and they again call Aristotle to their
aid. He must interpret the words of Christ for them, and
he says, that heaven and earth will not pass away as to their
essence but only as to their form. How much they think they
are saying! If they so understood it that heaven and earth
will continue to be something, they would indeed be right.
But let us suffer the blind to go, and know that just as our
bodies will be changed as to their essence, and yet be remade
according to their essence, so heaven and earth at the last day
with all the elements will be melted v/ith fervent heat and
turned to dust, together with the bodies of men, so that there
w^ill be nothing but fire everywhere. Then will everything be
new-created in greatest beauty; our bodies will shine in bril-
liancy, and the sun be much more glorious than now. Peter
speaks of this day, in 2 Pet. 3, 10-13, ''But the day of the
Lord will come as a thief ; in the which the heavens shall pass
away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved
with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein
shall be burned up. But, according to his promise, we look
for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteous-
ness."
Paul also testifies to the same in 1 Cor. 3,13, that "the
last day shall be revealed in fire." And Isaiah 30,26, "The
light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light
of the sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven days, in the
day that Jehovah bindeth up the hurt of his people, and heal-
eth the stroke of their wound." Likewise Isaiah 65, 17, "For,
behold I create new heavens and a new earth ; and the former
things shall not be remembered, nor come Into mind. But
4
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 83
be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create." There-
fore this passing away is not only according to form but also
as to essence; unless it be that you do not want to call it a
passing away, if things turn to dust until no trace of them can
be found, as the burned body turns to ashes and passes away.
58. But where do our souls dwell when the abode of every
creature is afire and there is no earthly dwelling place? An-
swer: My dear hearer, where is the soul now? Or where is
it when we sleep and are not conscious of what is taking place
in our bodies and in the world around us ? Do you think that
God cannot so preserve or hold the souls of men in his hand
that they will never know how heaven and earth passed
away? Or do you think that he must have a bodily home
for the soul, just as a shepherd has a stable for his sheep ? It
is enough for you to know that they are in God's hands and
not in the care of any creature. Though you do not under-
stand how it happens, do not be led astray. Since you have not
yet learned what happens to you when you fall asleep or
awaken, and can never know how near you are to waking or
sleeping, though you daily do both, how do you expect to
understand all about this question? The Scripture says,
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," and so let it
be. Meanwhile there will arise a new heaven and a new earth,
and our bodies will be revived again to eternal salvation.
Amen. If we knew just how the soul would be kept, faith
would be at an end. But now we journey and know not just
whither; yet we put our confidence in God, and rest in his
keeping, and our faith abides in all its dignity.
Hi. THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THESE
GOSPEL SIGNS.
59. Finally, we must find also a hidden or spiritual mean-
ing in this Gospel. The sun is Christ, the moon is the church,
the stars are Christians, the powers of heaven are the prelates
or planets of the church. Now these earthly signs surely
signify what has long since taken place and is now taking
place among Christians; for they follow the service of sin
and threaten and manifest the punishment resting upon them.
84 i^uther's church postil.
60. That the sun is darkened no doubt signifies that Christ
does not shine in the Christian church ; that is, that the Gospel
is not preached and that faith is expiring from the lack of
divine service. This has come about through the teaching and
works of men. The pope sits in the churches in the place of
Christ and shines like dirt in a lantern — he with his bishops,
priests, and monks. It is these that have darkened the sun
for us, and instead of the true worship of God have set up
idolatry and image worship with their tonsure and hoods and
vestments and pipes and lutes and singing and playing etc.
Oh what darkness ! What darkness !
61. From this it necessarily follows that neither the moon
gives any light ; that is, when faith died out, love had to die
out also, so that no real Christian deeds are any more seen,
no example is found in which one Christian serves another;
but all the people have been led into idolatry, and image wor-
ship, and there have been instituted mass, vigils, altars, chapels,
purifications, bells, and impostures. Again what darkness !
62. I interpret the falling of the stars to mean the falling
of man who has been baptized and become a Christian and
then became a priest or monk. Whoever wants to believe me,
may; whoever does not want to, need not do so, but I
know what I am talking about. I do not say that they will
all be lost; God can save even from the fire whom he will.
But this I say, whoever becomes a priest or monk in the belief
that he is taking up a holy estate falls from Christian faith
into unbelief; for the falling of the stars does not signify the
gross forms of sin, murder, adultery, theft, but a falling from
faith. Priests and monks (unless God does wonders) are by
virtue of their position renegade and apostate Christians,
worse than whom no people dwell on the earth.
63. The Turks also are no Christians ; but in two senses
they are better than the Papists: first, they have never been
Christians or stars, therefore have not fallen from the faith;
secondly, they do not sin against the sacrament of the Lord's
body and blood. But the Papists make a sacrifice out of the
mass and a meritorious work and do it daily and icontinually.
This is certainly the most sacrilegious perversion upon which
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 85
the sun has yet shined. In short he who desires to become
holy and be saved by works and holy orders, falls from the
faith, falls from heaven; for the blood of Jesus Christ alone
is able to save us. Therefore, whenever you see a star fall,
then know that it signifies some one has become a priest, a
monk, or a nun.
64. That men's hearts failed them for fear signifies the
torments which the pope's saints and fallen stars suffer, for
while they do great things their consciences are never at rest.
The Scriptures say they are weary and heavy laden.
65. The roaring winds and seas are the worldly estates,
both high and low. There is no luler or land at peace with the
other, no faith or trust in one another, everyone is looking
only to his own interests. Neither is there reproof or disci-
pline or fear upon the earth; and the whole world is so en-
gaged in eating, drinking, unchastity, and the lusts of the
flesh, that it moans and roars.
66. The powers of heaven are our planets, our spiritual
squires and tyrants, popes, bishops, and their companions, the
universities, which are all so deeply sunk in worldly affairs,
property, honor, and pleasures, that they think they are not
planets, that is, errorists, for planeta in Greek means an error-
ist, one who does not travel on the right way, but travels
backward and to both sides as the planets also do in the
heavens. This the Germans express in a proverb, the more
learned, the more perverse; in other words, the spiritual gov-
ernment is only planets. But now when the Gospel shines
forth and shows them their virtue and colors it with its own
hue, and shows that they are unlearned idolaters and soul-
deceivers, they get angry, begin to move, and form a constella-
tion. They gather together, try to shelter themselves behind
bulls and edicts, and threateningly predict a great flood. But
it will do them no good, the day will come and its light cannot
be placed under a bushel like a candle.
67. The parable of the fig tree seems to me to signify that
the fig tree is the Holy Scriptures which have so long been
hidden in obscurity. They are now budding forth and taking
leaves, their word is breaking forth into fruitage. For twelve
86 Luthi:r's church postii..
centuries it has not been so well known, nor have its Ian-
languages been so well known. There is no doubt in my mind,
however, that the Scriptures are a fig tree which is easily
preserved. It was fig leaves with which Adam and Eve cov-
ered their nakedness ; for the old Adam always uses the Scrip-
tures to adorn himself. Therefore the book must come forth,
its leaves must become green, in spite of all the movements
of the planets. The summer is not far distant — would to God
that the fruit would also follow the leaves. I fear that there
will be nothing but leaves, for we talk much about true faith
but bring forth no fruit.
68. Enough has now been said conüerning these signs;
if anyone desires to consider the matter further, to him has
been given here the impulse and a start. But the planets
with their factious spirit will not believe in them, in order
that the Scriptures may still be true in this, that they give
these people great security and contempt for the word, works,
and signs of God.
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVE:NT. 87
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT.
This sermon is found in Erl. 10,83; W. 11,99; St. L. 11,72.
Text : Math, ii, 2-10. Now when John heard in the prison
the works of the Christ, he sent by his disciples and said unto
him. Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another? And
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and tell John the things
which ye hear and see : the blind receive their sight, and the
lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the
dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached
to them. And blessed is he, zvhosoever shall Und no occasion
of stumbling in me.
And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the
midtitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilder-
ness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went
ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they
that wear soft raiment are in kings' houses. But zvh ere fore
went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, J say unto you, and much
more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is zvrittenj^
Behold, I send my messenger before thy face. Who shaU
prepare thy way before thee.
CONTENTS: CHRIST'S ANSWER TO THE QUESTION
JOHN ASKED HIM; HIS PRAISE OF JOHN, AND THE
APPLICATION OF THIS GOSPEL.
I. THE QUESTION JOHN PUTS • How we are to treat those of
TO CHRIST. a meek conscience. 8.
L The Thoug-hts of Ambrose, jj CHRIST'S ANSWER. GIVEN
Jerome^ and^ Gregory on This ^^^ WORDS AND DEEDS.
II. Wh^^y Vohii Asked this Ques- f- ^}\^ '^^^^I%x?l ^}"^^ Answer fl.
tion 2f II- How and Why the Answer by
• Why John's disciples held so His Works Is Greater than
firmly to John, and why the Answer by His Words.
they did not desire to be !"•
broug-ht to Christ. 3-4. III. How This Answer Is to Be
• Of the stately entrance of Used Ag-ainst False Teach-
Jesus, the King of glory. 5. ers. ll-12f.
III. The Nature of this Ques- . jj^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ answer the
tion. 6. Pnni«?t«5 when thev use
IV. The Necessity of This Ques- ChSst's words in Math. 23
• cffist must do all. the good- \% ., ^^^^^'^ themselves.
ness of others never helps ^ it js seldom that one preach-
88
I.UTHE:r's church POSTII..
es right, when his life is
not right. 17.
IV. How We Are to Understand
the Words of Christ's An-
swer: "The Poor Have Good
Tidings Preached to Them."
18f.
* Concerning- the Law.
1. It is impossible to keep
the law without the grace
of God. 19.
2. To what degree presump-
tion and doubt spring
from the law. 20-22.
3. The law wishes to be ful-
filled by a free and cheer-
ful will. 20-21.
4. To what persons the law
is profitable. 22.
5. Wliy the law is called the
law of death. 23.
* Concerning the Gospel.
1. Wliat is to be understood
by the Gospel. 24-26,
2. Faith and not works is
the theme of tlie Gospel.
26.
3. The Gospel is founded only
upon Christ. 27.
4. Why God includes the
Law and the Gospel in
the Bible. 28.
5. Why the New Testament
is caled the Gospel. 29.
6. The Gospel is tlie great-
est of all the works of
Christ. 30.
7. What persons the Gospel
assists. 31-32.
8. Wliat is the greatest ene-
my of the Gospel. 33.
V. How Christ in His Answer
Meets the Carnal and World-
ly Thoughts of John's Dis-
ciples. 34.
VL What Part of This Answer
Deserves Special Attention.
35.
* The offense caused by the
doctrine and the life.
1. By the doctrine, 36-S^.
2. By the life. 39.
3. Which is the more dan^
gerous. 39.
4. In what way we may
avoid the offense caused
by the doctrine. 40.
TIT. HOW AND WHY CHRIST
PRAISES JOHN.
I. Because of His Firmness. 41-42.
II. Because of His Hard and
* Tlie secure state of the
Coarse Raiment. 43.
III. Because of His High Offlc».
44f.
* The Jews wait in vain for
the coming of Christ. 47.
* The meaning of the word
angel. 48.
* To what extent John pre-
pared the way for Christ.
49-50.
IV. THE APPLICATION OF THIS
GOSPEL. IT SHOULD SERVE
US.
I. In Purifying and Strengthen-
ing Our Faith. 51-53.
* Whoever tries to be pious by
means of his own works,
lacks Christ and shall be
lost. 54.
II. In Doing Truly Good Works.
55f.
* What is true divine worship
and truly good works. 56.
* Of the offense of faith and
of love. 57.
* It is very difficult here to
know Christ aright. 58-59.
The History or Story.
I. THE QUESTION JOHN PUTS TO CHRIST.
1. The most I find on this Gospel treats of whether John
the Baptist knew that Jesus was the true Christ, althougli
this question is unnecessary and of httle import. St. Ambrose
thinks John asked this question neither in ignorance nor in
doubt; but in a Christian spirit. Jerome and Gregory write
that John asked whether he should be Christ's forerunner
also into hell, an opinion that has not the least foundation, for
the text plainly says, "Art thou he that cometh or look we
for another?" This looking or waiting for Christ, according
to the words, relates to his coming on earth and pertains to
the Jewish people, otherwise John ought to have asked, or do
those in hell look for thee? And since Christ with his works
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 89
answered that he had come, it is certain that John inquired
about Christ's bodily coming, as Christ himself thus under-
stood it and answered accordingly, although I do not deny
that Christ also descended into hell, as we confess in our
creed.
2. Hence it is evident John knew very well that Jesus
was he that should come, for he had baptized him and testi-
fied that Christ was the Lamb of God that taketh away the
sin of the world, and he had also seen the Holy Spirit descend-
ing upon him as a dove, and heard the voice from heaven:
"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." All is
fully related by all four Evangelists. Why then did John ask
this question ? Answer : It was not done without good reasons
In the first place, it is certain that John asked it for the sake of
his disciples, as they did not yet hold Christ to be the one he
really was. And John did not come in order to make disciples
and draw the people to himself, but to prepare the way for
Christ, to lead everybody to Christ and to make all the people
subject to him.
3. Now the disciples of John had heard from him many
excellent testimonies concerning Christ, namely, that he was
the Lamb of God and the Son of God, and that Christ must in-
crease while he must decrease. All this his disciples and the
people did not yet believe, nor could they understand it, as
they themselves and all the people thought more of John than
of Christ. For this reason they clung so strongly to John,
even to the extent that they for his sake became jealous and
dissatisfied with Christ when they saw that he also baptized,
made disciples and drew the people to himself. They com-
plained to John about this because they feared that their master
would grow less in esteem, as we read in John 3, 26, "And
they came unto John and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with
thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness,
behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him."
4. To this error they were led by two reasons, first, be-
cause Christ was not yet known to the people, but only to
John; neither had he as yet performed any miracle, and no
one was held in high esteem but John. Hence it appeared
90 luthi:r^s church jfOSTiL.
so strange to them that he should point them and everybody
else away from himself and to some one else, inasmuch as
there was no one living beside John who had gained a great
name and enjoyed great fame. The other reason was because
Christ appeared so very humble and common, being the son
of a poor carpenter and of a poor widow. Neither did he
belong to the priesthood, nor to the learned; but was only a
layman and a comm.on apprentice. He had never studied,
Vv^as brought up as a carpenter apprentice just like other lay-
men ; hence it seemed as though the excellent testimony of
John concerning Christ and the common layman and appren-
tice, Jesus of Nazareth, did not at all harmonize with each
other. Therefore, though they believed that John told the
truth, they still reasoned : Perhaps it will be some one else
than this Jesus ; and they looked for one who might appear
among them in an imposing way, like a highly learned leader
among the priests, or a mighty king. From such delusion
John could not deliver them with his w^ords. They clung to
him, and regarded Christ as being much inferior, meanwhile
looking for the glorious appearing of the great person of whom
John spoke. And should he really be Jesus, then he had to
assume a different attitude ; he must saddle a steed, put on
bright spurs, and dash forward like a lord and king of Israel,
just as the kings aforetime had done. Until he should do
this they would cling to John.
5. But when Jesus began to perform miracles and became
famous, then John thought he would point his disciples away
from himself and lead them to Christ, in order that they
might not think of establishing a new sect and becoming
Johnites ; but that all might cling to Christ and become Chris-
tians, John sends them to Christ so that from now on they
might learn not only from the witness he bore of Christ, but
also from the words and deeds of Christ himself that he was
the one of whom John had spoken. It should not be expected
that the works and coming of Christ would be attended by
drums and bugles and like worldly pomp; but by spiritual
power and grace, so that there would be no riding and walk-
ing on streets paved and carpeted ; but that by virtue of such
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVE^NT. 91
power and grace the dead would be raised up, the blind re-
ceive their sight, the deaf hear, and all kinds of bodily and
spiritual evil be removed. That should be the glory and com-
ing of this king, the least of whose works could not be per-
formed by all the kings, all the learned and all the rich in the
world. This is the meaning of the text.
"Now zvhen John heard in the prison the works of the
Christ, he sent by his disciples and said unto him, art thou he
that Cometh, or look we for another f'
6. As though John would say to his disciples: There
you hear of his works, such as I never accomplished, nor any-
one else before him. Now go to him and ask him, whether
or not he is the one that cometh. Put away the gross worldly
deception that he would ride on steeds in armor. He is in-
creasing, but I must now decrease ; my work must cease, but
his must continue ; you must leave me and cling to him.
7. How necessary it was for John to point his disciples
away from himself to Christ is very clear. For what benefit
would it have been to them if they had depended a thousand
times on John's piety and had not embraced Christ? Without
Christ there is no help or remedy, no matter how pious men
may be. So at the present day what benefit is it to the monks
and nuns to observe the rules of St. Benedict, St. Bernard,
St. Francis, St. Dominic and St. Augustine, if they do not
embrace Christ and him only, and depart also from their John ?
All Benedictines, Carthusians, Barefoot-Friars, Ecclesiasts,
Augustinians, Carmelites, all monks and nuns are surely lost,
as only Christians are saved. Whoever is not a Christian even
John the Baptist cannot help, who indeed, according to Christ,
was the greatest of all saints.
8. However, John deals kindly with his disciples, has pa-
tience with their weak faith till they shall have grown strong.
He does not condemn them because they do not firmly be-
lieve him. Thus we should deal with the consciences of men
ensnared by the examples and regulations of pious men, until
they are freed from them.
92 Luthkr's church postil.
IL CHRIST'S ANSWER; GIVEN IN WORDS AND
DEEDS.
''And Jesus anszvered and said nnfo them, go and tell John
the thiiigs which you hear and see; the blind receive their
sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf
hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tid-
ings preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever shall
ßnd no occasion of stumbling in me."
9. Christ answered John also for the sake of his disciples.
He answers in a twofold way : First, by his works ; secondly,
by his words. He did the same thing when the Jews sur-
rounded him in the temple and asked him, "If thou art the
Christ, tell us plainly," John 10, 24. But he points them to
his works saying, "I told you, and ye believe not, the works
that I do in my Father's name, these bear witness of me," John
10, 25. Again, "Though ye believe not me, believe the works,"
John 10, 88. Here Christ first points them to the works, and
then also to the words saying "And blessed is he, whosoever
shall find no occasion of stumbling in me." With these words
he does not only confess that he is the Christ, but also warns
them against finding occasion of stumbling in him. If he were
not the Christ, then he who finds no occasion of stumbling in
him could not be blessed. For one can dispense with all the
saints, but Christ is the only one that no man 'can dispense
with. No saint can help us, none but Christ.
10. The answer of his works is more convincing, first,
because such works were never before accomplished either
by John or by anyone else ; and secondly, because these works
were predicted by the prophets. Therefore, when they saw
that it came to pass just as the prophets had foretold, they
could and should have been assured. For thus Isaiah had
said of these works : "The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon
me, because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings
unto the weak ; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-heart-
ed, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound," Is. 61, 1. When Isaiah says,
"He hath anointed me," he thereby means that Jesus is the
Christ and that Christ should do all these works, and he who
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 9B
is doing them must be the Christ. For the Greek word Christ
is Messiah in Hebrew, Unctiis in Latin, and Gesalbter (an-
nointed in German. But the kings and priests were usually
anointed for the kingdom and priesthood. But this anointed
king and priest, Isaiah says, shall be anointed by God himself,
not with real oil, but with the Holy Spirit that should come
upon him, saying, "The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon
me." That is my anointment with which the Spirit anointed
me. Thus he indeed preaches good tidings to the weak, gives
sight to the blind, heals all kinds of sickness and proclaims
the acceptable year, the time of grace, etc.
Again Isaiah says: "Behold, your God will come with
vengeance, with the recompense of God; he will come and
save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and
the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame
man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing,*'
etc. Is. 35, 4-5. Now, if they would compare the Scriptures
with these works, and these works with the Scriptures, they
would recognize John's witness by Christ's works, that he was
the true Messiah. Luke says that Christ at that time, when
John's disciples asked him, healed many of their diseases and
plagues and evil spirits, and bestowed sight on many that
were blind. Luke 7, 2L
IL But here we must take to heart the good example
of Christ in that he appeals to his w^orks, even as the tree is
known by its fruits, thus rebuking all false teachers, the pope,
bishops, priests and monks to appear in the future and shield
themselves by his name, saying, "We are Christians;" just
as the pope is boasting that he is the vicar of Christ. Here
we have it stated that where the works are absent, there is
also no Christ. Christ is a living, active and fruit-bearing
character who does not rest, but works unceasingly w^herever
he is. Therefore, those bishops and teachers that are not
doing the works of Christ, we should avoid and consider as
wolves.
12. But they say, Why it is not necessary for everyone
to do these works of Christ. How can all the pious give sight
to the blind, make the lame walk and do other miracles like
94 Luther's church posth^.
those of Christ? Answer: Christ did also other works, he
exercised himself in patience, love, peace, meekness, etc. ; this
everybody should do. Do these works, and then we also shall
know Christ by his works.
13. Here they reply: Christ says, "The scribes and the
Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; all things therefore whatsoever
they bid you, these do and observe ; but do not ye after their
works ; for they say, and do not. Math. 23, 2-3. Here Christ
commanded to judge the doctrine, but not the life. Answer:
What do I hear ? Have you now become Pharisees and hypo-
crites, and confess it yourselves? If we would say this about
you then you would indeed become angry. Be it so, if you
are such hypocrites and apply these words of Christ to your-
selves, then you must also apply to yourselves all the other
words Christ speaks against the Pharisees. However, as
they wish to shield themselves by these words of Christ and
put to silence the ignorant, we will further consider the same,
inasmuch as the murderers of Christians at the Council of
Constance also attacked John Huss with this passage, jclaim-
ing that it granted them liberty for their tyranny, so that no
one dared to oppose their doctrine.
14. It must, therefore, be observed that teaching is also
a work, yea, even the chief work of Christ, because here
among his works he mentions that to the poor the Gospel is
preached. Therefore, just as the tyrants are known by their
works, so are they known by their teachings. Where Christ
is, there surely the Gospel will be preached; but where the
Gospel is not preached, there Christ is not present.
15. Now in order to grant our Pharisees that not the
life, but the doctrine should be judged, be it so, let them teach,
and we will gladly spare their lives ; but then they are a great
deal worse than the Pharisees who taught IVIoses' doctrine,
though they did not practice it. But our blockheads are idols,
there is neither letting nor doing, neither life nor doctrine.
They sit on Christ's seat and teach their own lies and silence
the Gospel. Hence this passage of Christ will not shield them,
they must be wolves and murderers as Christ calls them,
John 10, 1.
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 95
16. Thus Christ here wants them to hear the Pharisees;
but only on Moses's seat; that is, if they taught the law of
Moses, the Commandments of God.
In the same place Christ forbids to do according to their
works he mentions their teachings among their works, say-
ing: "Yea, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be
borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves
will not move them with their finger." Math. 23, 4. Observe
here that Christ first of all forbids among their works their
teachings grevious to be borne, as being of chief import, so
that finally the meaning of the passage is : All that they teach
according to Moses, you should keep and do; but whatever
they teach and do besides, you should not observe. Even so
should we listen to our Pharisees on Christ's seat only when
they preach the Gospel to the poor, and not hear them nor do
what they otherwise teach or do.
17. Thus you perceive how skillfully the rude Papists
made this passage the foundation of their doctrine, lies and
tyranny, though no other passage is more strongly against
them and more severely condemns their teachings than this
one. Christ's words stand firm and are clear; do not follow
their works. But their doctrine is their own work, and not
God's. They are a people exalted only to lie and to pervert
the Scriptures. IMorever, if one's life Is bad, it would be
strange indeed if he should preach right; he would always
have to preach against himself, which he will hardly do
without additions and foreign doctrines. In short, he who
does not preach the Gospel, identifies himself as one who is
sitting neither on Moses' nor on Christ's seat. For this reason
you should do neither according to his words nor according
to his works, but flee from him as Christ's sheep do, John
10, 4-5: "And the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but flee from him." But
if you wish to know what their seat is called, then listen to
David: "Blessed Is the man that w^alketh not In the counsel
of the wicked, nor standeth In the way of the sinner, nor
sitteth in the seat of scoffers, Ps. 1,1. Again: "Shall the
96 IvUThkr's church POSTIL.
throne of wickedness have fellowship with thee, which frameth
mischief by statute ? Ps. 94, 20.
18. But what does it mean when Christ says: *'The poor
have good tidings preached to them?" Is it not preached
also to the rich and to the whole world? Again, why is the
Gospel so great a thing, so great a blessing as Christ teaches,
seeing that so many people despise and oppose it? Here we
must know what Gospel really is, otherwise we can not
understand this passage. We must, therefore, diligently ob-
serve that from the beginning God has sent into the world a
two-fold word or message, the Law and the Gospel. These
two messages must be rightly distinguished one from the other
and properly understood, for besides the Scriptures there
never has been a book written to this day, not even by a saint,
in which these two messages, the Law and the Gospel, have
been properly explained and distinguished, and yet so very
much depends on such an explanation.
'The Difference Betzveen The Law and
The Gospel.
19. The Law is that word by which God teaches what we
shall do, as for instance, the Ten Commandments. Now, if
human nature is not aided by God's grace, it is impossible to
keep the law, for the reason that man since the fall of Adam
in Paradise is depraved and full of sinful desires, so that he
cannot from his heart's desire find pleasure in the law, which
fact we all experience in ourselves. For no one lives who
does not prefer that there were no law, and everyone feels
and knows in himself that it is difficult to lead a pious life and
do good, and, on the other hand, that it is easy to lead a wicked
life and to do evil. But this difficulty or unwillingness to do
the good is the reason we do not keep the Law of God. For
whatever is done with aversion and unwillingness is con-
sidered by God as not done at all. Thus the Law of God con-
victs us, even by our own experience, that by nature we are
evil, disobedient, lovers of sin. and hostile to God's laws.
20. From all this either self-confidence or despair must
follow. Self-confidence follows when a man strives to ful-
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 97
fil the law by his own good works, by trying hard to do as
the words of the law command. He serves God, he swears
not, he honors father and mother, he kills not, he does not
commit adultery, etc. But meanwhile he does not look into
his heart, does not realize with what motives he leads a good
life, and conceals the old Adam in his heart. For if he would
truly examine his heart, he would realize that he is doing all
unwillingly and with compulsion, that he fears hell or seeks
heaven, if he be not prompted by things of less importance,
as honor, goods, health and fear of being humiliated, of being
punished or of being visited by a plague. In short, he would
have to confess that he would rather lead a wicked life if it
were not that he fears the consequences, for the law only re-
strains him. But because he does not realize his bad motives
he lives securely, looks only at his outward works and not into
his heart, prides himself on keeping the law of God perfectly,
and thus the countenance of Moses remains covered to him,
that is, he does not understand the meaning of the law, name-
ly, that it must be kept with a happy, free and willing mind.
21. Just as an immoral person, if you should ask him why
he commits adultery, can answer only that he is doing it for
the sake of the carnal pleasure he finds in it. For he does not
do it for reward or punishment, he expects no gain from it,
nor does he hope to escape from the evil of it. Such willing-
ness the law requires in us, so that if you should ask a virtuous
man why he leads a chaste life, he would answer: Not for
the sake of heaven or hell, honor or disgrace, but for the sole
reason that he considers it honorable, and that it pleases him
exceedingly, even if it were not commanded. Behold, such a
heart delights in God's law and keeps it with pleasure. Such
people love God and righteousness, they hate and fear naught
but unrighteousness. However, no one is thus by nature. The
unrighteous love reward and profit, fear and hate punishment
and pain ; therefore they also hate God and righteousness, love
themselves and unrighteousness. They are hypocrites, dis-
guisers, deceivers, liars and self-conceited. So are all men
without grace, but above all, the saints who rely on their
good works. For this reason the Scriptures conclude, ''All
98
men are liars," Ps. 116, 11. ''Every man at his best estate is
altogether vanity," Ps. 39, 5. "There is none that doeth good,
no, not one," Ps. 14, 3.
22. Despair follows when man becomes conscious of his
evil motives, and realizes that it is impossible for him to love
the law of God, finding nothing good in himself; but only
hatred of the good and delight in doing evil. Now he realizes
that the law can not be kept only by works hence he despairs
of his works and does not rely upon them. He should have
love; but he finds none, nor can have any through his own
efforts or out of his own heart. Now he must be a poor,
miserable and humiliated spirit whose conscience is burdened
and in anguish because of the law, commanding and demand-
ing payment in full when he does not possess even a farthing
with which to pay. Only to such persons is the law beneficial,
because it has been given for the purpose of working such
knowledge and humiliation; that is its real mission. These
persons well know how to judge the works of hypocrites and
fraudulent saints, namely, as nothing but lies and deception.
David refered to this when he said, "I said in my haste, all
men are liars," Ps. 116, 11.
23. For this reason Paul calls the law a law unto death,
saying, "And the commandment, which was unto life, this I
found to be unto death," Rom. 7, 10; and a power of sin. 1
Cor. 15. 56: "And the power of sin is the law," and in 2 Cor.
o, 6 he says, "For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
All this means, if the law and human nature be brought into
a right relation, the one to the other, then will sin and a
troubled conscience first become manifest. Man, then, sees
how desperately wicked his heart is, how great his sins are,
even as to things he formerly considered good works and no
sin. He now is compelled to confess that by and of himself he
is a child of perdition, a child of God's WTath and of hell.
Then there is only fear and trembling, all self-conceit van-
ishes, while fear and despair fill his heart. Thus man is
crushed and put to naught, and truly humbled.
Inasmuch as all this is caused only by the law, St. Paul
truly says, that it is a law unto death and a letter that killeth,
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 99
and that through the commandment sin becomes exceeding-
ly sinful, Rom. 7, 13, provoking God's wrath. For the law
gives and helps us in no way whatever; it only demands and
drives and shows us our misery and depravity.
Concerning the Gospel
24. The other word of God is neither law nor command-
ments, and demands nothing of us. But when that has been
done by the first word, namely, the law, and has worked deep
despair and wretchedness in our hearts, then God comes and
offers us his blessed and life-giving word and promises; he
pledges and obligates himself to grant grace and help in
order to deliver us from misery, not only to pardon all our
sins, but even to blot them out, and in addition to this to create
in us love and delight in keeping his law.
25. Behold, this divine promise of grace and forgiveness
of sin is rightly called the Gospel. And I say here, again, that
by the Gospel you must by no means understand anything else
than the divine promise of God's grace and his forgiveness
of sin. For thus it was that Paul's epistles were never under-
stood, nor can they be understood by the Papists, because
they do not know what the Law and the Gospel really mean.
They hold Christ to be a law-maker, and the Gospel a mere
doctrine of a new law. That is nothing else than locking up
the Gospel and entirely concealing it.
26. Now, the word Gospel is of Greek origin and signifies
in German Fröhliche Botschaft, that is glad tidings, because
it proclaimes the blessed doctrine of life eternal by divine prom-
ise, and offers grace and forgiveness of sin. Therefore, works
do not belong to the Gospel, as it is not a law ; only faith be-
longs to it, as it is altogether a promise and an offer of divine
grace. Whosoever now believes the Gospel will receive grace
and the Holy Spirit. This will cause the heart to rejoice and
find delight in God, and will enable the believer to keep the
law cheerfully, without expecting reward, without fear of
punishment, without seeking compensation, as the heart is
perfectly satisfied with God's grace, by which the law has been
fulfilled.
100 IvUTHDr'S church POSTlIv.
27. But all these promises from the beginning are founded
on Christ, so that God promises no one this grace except
through Christ, who is the messenger of the divine promise
to the whole world. For this reason he came and through the
Gospel brought these promises into all the world, which before
this time had been proclaimed by the prophets. It is, there-
fore, in vain if anyone, like the Jews, expects the fulfilment of
the divine promises without Christ. All is centered and de-
creed in Christ. Whosoever will not hear him shall have no
promises of God. For just as God acknowledges no law be-
sides the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets, so
he makes no promises, except through Christ alone.
28. But you may reply, is there not also much law in the
Gospel and in the Epistles of Paul ? and, again, many promises
in the writings of Moses and the Prophets? I answer: There
is lio book in the Bible in which both are not found. God has
always placed side by side ])Oth law and promise. For he
Vaches by the law what we are to do, and by th^ promises
whence we shall receive power to do it.
29. But the New Testament especially is called the Gospel
above the other books of the Bible, because it was written after
the coming of Christ, who fulfilled the divine promises, brought
them unto us and publicly proclaimed them by oral preaching,
which promises were before concealed in the Old Testament
Scriptures. Therefore, hold to this distinction, and no matter
what books you have before you, be they of the Oil or of the
Kcw Testament, read them v/ith a discrimination so as to ob-
serve that when promises are made in a book, it is a Gospel-
book; when commandments are given, it is a law-book. But
because in the New Testament the promises are found so
abundantly, and in the Old Testament so many laws, the
former is called the Gospel, and the latter the Book of the
Law. We now come back to our text.
''And the poor have good tidings preached unto them."
30. From what has just been said it is easily understood
that among the works of Christ none is greater than preaching
the Gospel to the poor. This means nothing else than that
to the poor the divine promise of grace and consolation in
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 101
and through Christ is preached, offered and presented, so
that to him who beHeves all his sins are forgiven, the law is
fulfilled, conscience is appeased and at last life eternal is be-
stowed upon him. What more joyful tidings could a poor
sorrowful heart and a troubled conscience hear than this?
How could the heart become more bold and courageous than
by such consoling, blissful words of promise? Sin, death,
hell, the world and the devil and every evil are scorned, when
a poor heart receives and believes this consolatibn of the
divine promise. To give sight to the blind and to raise up
the dead are but insignificant deeds, compared with preaching
the Gospel to the poor. Therefore Christ mentions it as the
greatest and best among these works.
31. But it must be observed that Christ says: "The Gospel
is preached to none but to the poor only, thus without doubt
intending it to be a message for the poor only. For it has
always been preached unto the whole world, as Christ says,
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to the whole
creation," Mark 16, 15. Surely these poor are not the beg-
gars and the bodily poor, but the spiritually poor, namely,
those who do not covet and love earthly goods; yes, rather
those poor, broken-hearted ones who in the agony of their
conscience seek and desire help and consolation so ardently
that they covet neither riches nor honor. Nothing will be of
help to them, unless they have a merciful God. Here is true
spiritual weakness. They are those for whom such a message
is intended, and in their hearts they are delighted with it.
They feel that they have been delivered from hell and death.
32. Therefore, though the Gospel is heard by all the world,
yet it is not accepted but by the poor only. Morever, it is to
be preached and proclaimed to all the world, that it is a mes-
sage only for the poor, and that the rich men can not receive
it. Whosoever would receive it must first become poor, as
Christ says, Math. 9, 13, that he came not to call the righteous
but only sinners, although he called all the world. But his
calling was such that he desired to be accepted only by sin-
ners, and all he called should become sinners. This they re-
sented. In like manner all should become poor who heard the
102 Luther's church postii..
Gospel, that they might be worthy of the Gospel; but this
they also resented. Therefore the Gospel remained only for the
poor. Thus God's grace was also preached before all the
world to the humble, in order that all might become humble,
but they would not be humble.
33. Hence you see who are the greatest enemies of the
Gospel, namely, the work-righteous saints, who are self-con-
ceited, as has been said before. For the Gospel has not the
least in common with them. They want to be rich in works,
but the Gospel wills that they are to become poor. They will
not yield, neither can the Gospel yield, as it is the unchange-
able word of God. Thus they and the Gospel clash, one with
another, as Christ says, "And he that falleth on this stone
shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it
will scatter him as dust." Math. 21, 44.
Again, they condemn the Gospel as being error and heresy ;
and we observe it comes to pass daily, as it has from the be-
ginning of the world, that between the Gospel and the work-
righteous saints there is no peace, no good will and no recon-
ciliation. But meanwhile Christ must suffer himself to be
crucified anew, for he and those that are his must place
themselves, as it were, into this vise, namely, between the
Gospel and the work -righteous saints, and thus be pressed and
crushed like the wheat between the upper and nether mill-
stones. But the lower stone is the quiet, peaceable and im-
movable Gospel, while the upper stone is the works and their
masters, who are ranting and raging.
34. With all this John contradicts strongly the fleshly and
worldly opinion his disciples entertained concerning Christ's
coming. They thought that the great king, whom John ex-
tolled so highly, namely, that the latchet of whose shoe he was
not worthy to unloose (John 1, 27), would enter in such splen-
dor that everything would be gold and costly ornaments, and
immediately the streets would be spread with pearls and silks.
As they lifted up their eyes so high and looked for such splen-
dor, Christ turns their look downward and holds before them
the blind, lame, deaf, dumb, poor and everything that con-
flicts with such splendor, and contrariwise he presents himself
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 103
in the state of a common servant rather than that of a great
king, whose shoe's latchet John considered himself unworthy
to unloose, as though Christ would say to them : "Banish your
high expectations, look not to my person and state, but to the
works I do. Worldly lords, because they rule by force, must
be accompanied by rich, high, healthy, strong, wise and able
men. With them they have to associate, and they need them,
or their kingdom could not exist; hence they can never at-
tend to the blind, lame, deaf, dumb, dead, lepers and the poor.
But my kingdom, because it seeks not its own advantage,
but rather bestows benefits upon others, is sufficient of itself
and needs no one's help; therefore, I can not bear to be sur-
rounded by such as are already sufficient of themselves, such
as are healthy, rich, strong, pure, active, pious, and able in
every respect. To such I am of no benefit; they obtain noth-
ing from me. Yea, they would be a disgrace to me, because
it would seem that I needed them and were benefited by them,
as worldly rulers are by their subjects. Therefore, I must do
otherwise and keep to those who can become partakers of me,
and I must associate with the blind, the lame, the dumb, and
all kinds of afflicted ones. This the character and nature of
my kingdom demand. For this reason I must appear in a way
that such people can feel at home in my company.
35. And now very aptly follow the words, ''And blessed
is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.''
Why? Because Christ's humble appearance and John's excellent
testimony of Christ seemed to disagree with each other. Hu-
man reason could not make them rhyme. Now all the Scrip-
tures pointed to Christ, and there was danger of misinterpret-
ing them. Reason spoke thus: Can this be the Christ, of
whom all the Scriptures speak? Should he be the one, whose
shoe's latchet John thought himself unworthy to unloose, though
I scarcely consider him worthy to clean my shoes? There-
fore, it is surely true that it Is a great blessing not to find oc-
casion of stumbling In Christ, and there is here no other help
or remedy than to look at his works and compare them with
the Scriptures. Otherwise it is Impossible to keep from being
offended at Christ.
104 IvUThdr's church postii,.
Two Kinds of Offenses,
36. Here you observe that there are two kinds of offenses,
one of doctrine, and the other of Hfe. These two offenses
must be carefully considered. The offense of doctrine comes
when one believes, teaches or thinks of Christ in a different
way than he should, as the Jews here thought of and taught
Christ to be different than he really was, expecting him to be
a temporal king. Of this offense the Scriptures treat mostly.
Christ and Paul always dwell upon it, scarcely mentioning
any other. Note well, that Christ and Paul speak of this
offense.
37. It is not without reason that men are admonished
faithfully to remember this. For under the reign of the pope
this offense has been hushed entirely, so that neither monk
nor priest knows of any other offense than that caused by open
sin and wicked living, which the Scripture does not call an of-
fense ; yet they thus construe and twist this word.
On the contrary, all their doings and all their teachings by
which they think to benefit the world, they do not consider to
be an offense, but a great help; and yet these are dangerous
offenses, the like of which never before existed. For they
teach the people to believe that the mass is an offering and a
good work, that by works men may become pious, may atone
for sin and be saved, all of which is nothing else than reject-
ing Christ and destroying faith,
38. Thus the world today is filled with oft'enses up to the
very heavens, so that it is terrible to think of it. For no one
now seeks Christ among the poor, the blind, the dead, etc.;
but all expect to enter heaven in a different way, which ex-
pectation must surely fail.
39. The offense of life is, when one sees an openly wicked
work done by another and teaches it. But it is impossible to
avoid this offense, inasmuch as we have to live among the
wicked, nor is it so dangerous, since everybody knows that such
offense is sinful, and no one is deceived by it, but intentionally
follows the known evil. There is neither disguise nor decep-
tion. But the offense of doctrine is that there should be the
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVKNT. 105
most beautiful religious ceremonies, the noblest works, the
most honorable life and that it is impossible for common reason
to censure or discern it; only faith knows through the spirit
that it is all wrong. Against this ofifense Christ warns us, say-
ing, *'But whoso shall cause one of these little ones that be-
lieve on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great
millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should
be sunk in the depth of the sea," Math. 18, 6.
40. Whosoever does not preach Christ, or who preaches
him otherwise than as one 'caring for the blind, the lame, the
dead and the poor, like the Gospel teaches; let us flee from
him as from the devil himself, because he teaches us how to
become unhappy and to stumble in Christ ; as it is now done by
the pope, the monks and the teachers in their high schools.
All their doings are an offense from head to foot, from the
skin to the marrow, so that the snow is scarcely anything but
water; nor can these things exist without causing great of-
fense, inasmuch as offense is the nature and essence of their
doings. Therefore, to undertake to reform the pope, the
convents, and the high schools and still maintain them in their
essence and character, would be like squeezing water out of
snow and still preserving the snow. But what it means to
preach Christ among the poor, we shall see at the end of our
text.
III. HOW AND WHY CHRIST PRAISES JOHN.
**And as these went their zvay, Jesus began to say unto the
multitudes concerning John, What went ye out in the zvilder-
ness to heholdf a reed shaken by the zvindf But what went
ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiments? Behold, they
that wear soft raiment are in kings' houses. But wherefore
went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much
more than a prophet."
41. Inasmuch as Christ thus lauds John the Baptist, be-
cause he is not a reed, nor clothed in soft raiment, and be-
cause he is more than a prophet, he gives us to understand
by these figurative words, that the people were inclined to
look upon John as a reed, as clad in soft raiment, and as a
106 luthkr's church posTit.
prophet. Therefore we must see what he means by them, and
why he censures and rejects these opinions of theirs. Enough
has been said, that John bore witness of Christ, in order that
the people might not take offense at Christ's humble appear-
ance and manner.
42. Now, as it was of great importance for them to be-
lieve John's witness and acknowledge Christ, he praised John
first for his steadfastness, thus rebuking their wavering on
account of which they would not believe John's witness. It
is as though he would say: You have heard John's witness
concerning me, but now you do not adhere to it, you take of-
fense at me and your hearts are wavering; you are looking
for another, but know not w^ho, nor when and where, and
thus your hearts are like a reed shaken by the wind to and fro ;
you are sure of nothing, and would rather hear something else
than the truth about me. Now do you think that John should
also turn his witness from me and, as is the case with your
thoughts, turn it to the winds and speak of another whom you
would be pleased to hear? Not so. John does not waver, nor
does his witness fluctuate ; he does not follow your swaying
delusion ; but you must stay your wavering by his witness, and
thus adhere to me and expect none other.
43. Again, Christ lauds John because of his coarse raiment,
as though to say: Perhaps you might believe him when he
says that I am he that should come as to my person; but you
expect him to speak differently about me, saying something
smooth and agreeable, that would be pleasant to hear. It is
indeed hard and severe that I come so poor and despised. You
desire me to rush forth with pomp and flourish of trumpets.
Had John thus spoken of me, then he would not appear so
coarse and severe himself. But do not think thus. Whoever
desires to preach about me, must not preach different than
John is doing. It's to no purpose, I will assume no other state
and manner. Those who teach different than John, are not in
the wilderness, but in kings' houses. They are rich and honored
by the people. They are teachers of man-made doctrines, teach-
ing themselves, and not me.
44. Christ lauds John, thirdly, because of the dignity of
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVEiNT. 107
his office, namely, that he is not only a prophet, but even more
than a prophet, as though to say: In ^'our high-soaring fluc-
tuating opinion you take John for a prophet, who speaks of
the coming of Christ, just as the other prophets have done,
and thus again your thoughts go beyond me to a different
time when you expect Christ to come, according to John's
witness, so that you will in no case accept me. But I say to
you, your thoughts are wrong. For just as John warns you
not to be like a shaken reed, and not to look for any other
than myself, nor to expect me in a different state and manner
from that in which you see me, he also forbids you to look for
another time, because his witness points to this person of mine,
to this state and manner, and to this time, and it opposes your
fickle ideas in every way and binds you firmly to my person.
45. Now, if you want to do John justice, then you must
simply accept his witness and believe, that this is the person,
the state and manner and the time that you should accept, and
abandon your presumption and your waiting for another per-
son, state and time. For it is decreed that John should be
no shaken reed, not a man of soft raiment, and above all,
not a prophet pointing to future times, but a messenger of
present events. He will not wTite as did the prophets, but
will point out and orally announce him, who has been pre-
dicted by the prophets, saying:
''This is he, of zvhom it is zuritten, Behold, I send my mes-
senger before thy face, who shall prepare the way before thee."
4G. What else can this mean than that you dare not wait
for another, neither for another manner of mine, neither for
another time. Here I am present, the one of whom John
speaks. For John is not a prophet, but a messenger. And
not a messenger that is sent by the master who stays at home,
but a messenger that goes before the face of his master and
brings the master along with him, so that there is but one
time for the messenger and for the master. Now if you do
not accept John as such a messenger, but take him for a
prophet who only proclaims the coming of the Lord, as the
other prophets have done, then you will fail to understand me,
the Scriptures, and everything else.
108 LUTHDr's church POSTHv.
47. Thus we see Christ pleads, mainly for them to take
John as a messenger, and not as a prophet. To this end Christ
quotes the Scriptures referring to the passage in Mai. 3, 1,
"Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way
before me/' which he does not do in reference to the other
points, namely, his person and manner. For to this day it is
the delusion of the Jews, that they look for another time ; and
if they then had believed that the time was at hand and had
considered John a messenger and not a prophet, then every-
thing could easily have been adjusted as to the person and
manner of Christ, inasmuch as they at last had to accept his
person and manner, at least after the expired time. For there
should be no other time than the days of John, the messenger
and preparer of the way for his Master. But as they do not
heed the time, and look for another time, it is scarcely possible
to convince them by his person and manner. They remain
shaken reeds and soft-raiment-seekers as long as they take
John for his prophet, and not for his messenger.
48. We must accustom ourselves to the Scriptures, in which
angel (angelus) really means a messenger; not a bearer of
messages or one who carries letters, but one who is sent to
solicit orally for the message. Hence in the Scriptures this
name is common to all messengers of God in heaven and on
earth, be they holy angels in heaven, or the prophets and
apostles on earth. For thus Malachi speaks of the office of
the priest. "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and
they should seek the law at his mouth ; for he is the messenger
(angel) of Jehovah of hosts." Mai. 2,7. Again: "Then
spake Haggai, Jehovah's messenger (angel) in Jehovah's mes-
sage unto the people," Hag. 1,13. And again: "And it
came to pass, when the days were well nigh come that he
should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to
Jerusalem, and sent messengers (angels) before his face,"
Luke 9,51.
Thus they are called God's angels or messengers and
solicitors, who proclaim his word. From this is also derived
the word gospel, which means good tidings. But the heavenly
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 109
Spirits are called angels chiefly because they are the highest
and most exalted messengers of God.
49. Thus John is also an angel or word-messenger, and
not only such a messenger, but one who also prepares the way
before the face of the Master in a manner that the Master
himself follows him immediately, which no prophet ever did.
For this reason John is more than a prophet, namely, an angel
or messenger, and a forerunner, so that in his day the Lord of
all the prophets himself comes with this messenger.
50. The preparing here means to make ready the way, to
put out of the way all that interferes with the course of the
Lord, just as the servant clears the way before the face of his
master by removing wood, stones, people and all that is in the
way. But what was it that blocked the way of Christ and John
was to remove ? Sin, without doubt, especially the good works
of the haughty saints ; that is, he should make known to every-
body that the works and deeds of all men are sin and iniquity
and that all need the grace of Christ. He who knows and
acknowledges this thoroughly is himself humble and has well
prepared the way for Christ Of this we shall speak in the
following Gospel. Now is the opportunity for us to receive
a blessing from this Gospel lesson.
IV. THE APPLICATION OF THIS GOSPEL.
The Doctrine of Faith and Good Works,
5L As we have said touching the other Gospels, that we
should learn from them the two doctrines of faith and love,
or accepting and bestowing good works, so we should do here,
extol faith and exercise love. Faith receives the good
works of Christ love bestows good works on our neighbor.
52. In the first place, our faith is strengthened and in-
creased when Christ is held forth to us in his own natural
works, namely, that he associates only with the blind, the deaf,
the lame, the lepers, the dead and the poor ; that is, in pure love
and kindness toward all who are in need and in misery, so that
finally Christ is nothing else than consolation and a refuge
for all the distressed and troubled in conscience. Here is
necessarv faith that trusts in the Gospel and relies upon it,
110 Luther's church postil.
never doubting that Christ is just as he is presented to us in
this Gospel, and does not think of him otherwise, nor let any
one persuade us to believe otherwise. Then surely we learn
Christ as we believe and as this Gospel speaks of him. For
as you believe, so you will have it And blessed is he, who
finds here no occasion of stumbling in Christ.
53. Here you must with all diligence beware of taking
offense. Who stumble at Christ? All that teach you to do
works, instead of teaching you to believe. Those who hold
forth Christ to you as a law-maker and a judge, and refuse to
let Christ be a helper and a comforter, torment vou bv
putting works before and in the way of God in order to atone
for your sins and to merit grace. Such are the teachings of
the pope, priests, monks and their high schools, who with their
masses and religious ceremonies cause you to open your eyes
and mouth in astonishment, leading you to another Christ,
and withholding from you the real Christ. For if you desire
to believe rightly and to possess Christ truly, then you must
reject all works that you intend to place before and in the way
of God. They are only stumbling blocks, leading you away
from Christ and from God. Before God no works are ac-
ceptable but Christ's own works. Let these plead for you
before God, and do no other work before him than to believe
that Christ is doing his works for you and is placing them
before God in your behalf.
In order to keep your faith pure, do nothing else than
stand still, enjoy its blessings, accept Christ's works, and let
him bestow his love upon you. You must be blind, lame, deaf,
dead, leprous and poor, otherwise you will stumble at Christ.
That Gospel which suffers Christ to be seen and to be doing
good only among the needy, will not belie you.
54. This means to acknowledge Christ aright and to em-
brace him. This is true and Christian believing. But those
who intend to atone for sins and to become pious by their own
works, will miss the present Christ and look for another, or at
least they will believe that he should do otherwise, that first
of all he should come and accept their works and consider
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVEjNT. Ill
them pious. These are, Hke the Jews, lost forever. There
is no help for them.
55. In the second place, Christ teaches us rightly to apply
the works and shows us what good works are. All other
work, except faith, we should apply to our neighbor. For
God demands of us no other w^ork that we should do for him
than to exercise faith in Christ. With that he is satisfied, and
with that we give honor to him, as to one w^ho is merciful,
long-suffering, wise, kind, truthful and the like. After this
think of nothing else than to do to your neighbor as Christ
has done to you, and let all your works together with all your
life be applied to your neighbor. Look for the poor, sick and
all kinds of needy, help them and let your life's energy here
appear, so that they may enjoy your kindness, helping who-
ever needs you, as much as you possibly can with your life,
property and honor. Whoever points you to other good
works than these, avoid him as a wolf and as Satan, because
he wants to put a stumbling block in your way, as David says,
''In the way wherein I walk have they hidden a snare for me,"
Ps. 142,3.
56. But this is done by the perverted, misguided people
of the Papists, who with their religious ceremonies set aside
such Christian works, and teach the people to serve God only
and not also mankind. They establish convents, masses,
vigils, become religious, do this and that. And these poor,
blind people call that serving God, which they have chosen
themselves. But know that to serve God is nothing else
than to serve your neighbor and do good to him in love, be
it a child, wife, servant, enemy, friend; without making any
difference, whoever needs your help in body or soul, and
wherever you can help in temporal or spiritual matters. This
is serving God and doing good works. O, Lord God, how do
we fools live in this world, neglecting to do such works, though
in all parts of the world we find the needy, on whom we
could bestow our good works; but no one looks after them
nor cares for them. But look to your own life. If you do
not find yourself among the needy and the poor, where the
Gospel shows us Christ, then you may know that your faith
112 luthe;r's church postil.
is not right, and that you have not yet tasted of Christ's
benevolence and work for you.
57. Therefore, behold what an important saying it is,
"Blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling
in me." We stumble in two respects. In faith, because we
expect to become pious Christians in a different way than
through Christ, and go our way blindly, not acknowledging
Christ. In love we stumble, because we are not mindful of the
poor and needy, do not look after them, and yet we think we
satisfy the demands of faith with other works than these. Thus
we come under the judgment of Christ, who says: "For I
was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat, I was thirsty, and
yet ye gave me no drink," Math. 25, 42. Again : "Inasmuch
as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me,"
Math. 25, 45.
Why is this judgment right, if not for the reason, that we
do not unto our neighbor as Christ has done to us? He has
bestowed on us needy ones his great, rich, eternal blessings,
but we will not bestow our meager service on our neighbors,
thus showing that we do not truly believe, and that we have
neither accepted nor tasted his blessings. Many will say, "Did
we not do wonders in thy name, did we not speak and cast out
devils ?" But he will answer them, "Depart from me, ye that
work iniquity," Math. 7,23, and why? Because they did not
retain their true Christian faith and love.
58. Thus we see in this Gospel how difficult it is to acknowl-
edge Christ. There is a stumbling block in the way, and one
takes offense at this, another at that. There is no headway,
not even with the disciples of John, though they plainly see
Christ's works and hear his words.
59. This we also do. Though we see, hear, understand and
must confess that Christian life is faith in God and love to our
needy neighbor, yet there is no progress. This one clings to
his religious ceremonies and his own works, that one is scraping
all to himself and helps no one. Even those who gladly hear
and understand the doctrine of pure faith do not proceed to
serve their neighbor, as though they expected to be saved by
faith without works : thev see not that their faith is not faith.
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 113
but a shadow of faith, just as the picture in the mirror is not
the face itself, but only a reflection of the same, as St. James
so beautifully writes, saying, ''But be ye doers of the word,
and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. For if anyone
is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man
beholding his natural face in a mirror : for he beholdeth him-
self, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what man-
ner of man he was," James 1, 22-25. So also there within
themselves many behold a reflection of true faith when they
hear and speak of the Word, but as soon as the hearing and
speaking are done, they are concerned about other affairs and
are not doing according to it, and thus they always forget
about the fruit of faith, namely, Christian love, of which Paul
also says, "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in
power," 1 Cor. 4, 20.
114
LUTHER S CHURCH POSTII..
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT.
This sermon is found in Erl. lo, 109; W. 11, 132; St. h. 11, 96.
Text: John i, ip-28. And this is the witness of John,
zvhen the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Le-
z'ites to ask him, IV ho art thou? And he confessed, and denied
not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked
him,' What then? Art thou Blijahf And he saith, I am not.
Art thou the prophet? And he answered. No, They said
therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an an-
swer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He
said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make
straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. And
they had been sent from the Pharisees. And they asked him,
and said unto him. Why then baptisest thou, if thou art not
the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet"^ John an-
swered them, saying, I baptize with water : in the midst of you
standeth one whom ye know not, even he that cometh after me,
the laichet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. These
things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John
zvas baptising.
CONTENTS: THE WITNESS AND CONFESSION OF JOHN
THE BAPTIST
I. THE WITNESS AND CONFES-
SION.
I. How and Why the Evangelist
Describes TKls Witness and
Confession in so Many
Words. 1.
II. The Occasion Given John for
His Witness and Confession;
This Was the Delegation of
the Jews, in Whicli Is to Be
Observed:
1. Six special circumstances.
2-7.
2. The cause of sending- this
delegation. 8-9.
?II. It Is a Free, Voluntary Con-
fession. 10.
IV. The Objection Made to This
Confession and Its Answer.
11.
V. This Witness and Confession
Are Divided into Three
Parts. 10-llf.
A. The First Part of This Con-
fession.
1. How John confesses he
is not Elijah. 12-19.
* That John is not meant
by the Elijah prom-
ised in Malachi is
proved in four ways.
13-18.
* That the Gospel is the
last thing- to be
preached before the
day of judgment. 19.
2. How John confesses he is
not a prophet. 20f.
3. An objection made here,
with its answer. 21-2.'^.
B. The Second Part of This
Witness and Confession.
FOURTH SUNDAY IN .VDVENT. 115
1. The sense and under- VI. The Place Where This Wft-
standing- of this part. 24. ness and Confession Were
2. How and wliy this part Made. 43.
cannot tolerate the_ learn- n. THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRE-
ed, the wise, and the holy TATION OF JOHN'S WIT-
persons. 25-26. NESS.
3. How it especially sets i. in General. 44.
forth Johns office. 2i. jj j^ Detail
4. How it is ^ received by ' i. The spiritual meaning of
some and rejected by oth- jo^^ being designated as a
ers. 28-31. voice 45
5. How and why this part is 2. Of him being designated as
to be considered very ^ calling voice. 46-47.
great and important. 32. o r)f -hia rnimprif nf pampT«?
'• ?ilr''oT hS" c'onf ess^Jn' ^air^^^^sTea^gSrn %rS^l\l
^•i^ts^n^swer^'^ä"''^'' ^""^ 4. O? him bearing witness on
b. The second 'objection the other side of Jordan. 49.
and its answer. 34. 5. Of the Jews not bemg able
C. The Third Part of This Wit- to endure his voice. 50.
ness and Confession. * Two things are required
1. The occasion of it. 35-36. of a true teacher. 51-52.
2. The nature of this part. * How and why John's voice
37f. must be laid hold of by
3. Its rescue from some false faith. 53.
interpretations. 38-40. * How and why we should
4. How this part sets forth not seek to be forgiven
the other office of John. of our sins by our own
41-42. efforts. 54.
I. THE WITNESS AND CONFESSION OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST.
1-. With many words the EvangeHst describes and mag-
nifies the testimony of John. Although it would have been
sufficient if he had written of him, ''He confessed," he repeats
it and says, "He confessed and denied not." This was surely
done in order to extol the beautiful constancy of John in a
sore trial, when he was tempted to a flagrant denial of the
truth. And now consider the particular circumstances.
2. First, there are sent to him not servants or ordinary
citizens, but priests and Levites from the highest and noblest
class, who were Pharisees, that is to say, the leaders of the
people. Surely a distinguished embassy for a common man,
who might justly have felt proud of such an honor, for the
favor of lords and princes is highly esteemed in this world.
o. Secondly, they sent to him not common people, but
citizens of Jerusalem, to wit, the capital, the sanhedrim, and
the leaders of the Jewish nation. So it was as if the entire
people came and did honor to him. What a wind that was !
and how he might have been inflated, had he possessed a
vain and worldly heart !
116 I^UTHEr's CHURCH POSTII..
4. Thirdly, they do not offer him a present, nor ordinary
glory, but the highest glory of all, the kingdom and all
authority, being ready to accept him as the Christ. Surely a
mighty and sweet temptation ! For, had he not perceived
that they wished to regard him as the Christ, he would not
have said, "I am not the Christ." And Luke, 3, 15-16, also
writes that, when everybody thought he was the Christ, John
spoke, "I am not he who you think I am, but I am being sent
before him."
5. Fourthly, when he would not accept this honor they
tried him with another, and were ready to take him for Elijah.
For they had a prophecy in the last chapter of the prophet
Malachi, w^here God says : ''Behold, I will send you Elijah
the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day
of the Lord ; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I
come and smite the earth with a curse."
6. Fifthly, seeing that he would not be Elijah, they go on
tempting him and offer him the homage due to an ordinary
prophet, for since Malachi they had not had a prophet. John,
however, remains firm and unshaken, although tried by the
offer of so much honor.
7. Sixthly and lastly, not knowing of any more honors,
they left him to choose, as to who or what he wished to be
regarded, for they greatly desired to do him homage. But
John will have none of this honor, and gives only this for an
answer, that he is a voice calling to them and to everybody.
This they do not heed. — What all this means we shall hear
later on. Let us now examine the text.
''And this is the witness of John, zvhen the Jews sent unto
him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him. Who
art thouf
8. They sent to him, why did they not come themselves?
John had come to preach repentance to the entire Jewish peo-
ple. This preaching of John they did not heed ; it is clear
therefore, that they did not send to him with good and pure
intentions, offering him such honor. Neither did they truly
believe him to be the Christ, or Elijah, or a prophet; otherwise
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 117
they would have come themselves to be baptized, as did the
others. What then did they seek of him? Christ explains
this, John 5, 33-35, "Ye have sent unto John, and he hath
borne witness unto the truth. He was the lamp that burnetii
and shineth, and ye were willing to rejoice for a season
in his light.'' From these words it is clear they looked for
their own honor in John, desiring to make use of his light,"
his illustrious and famous name, hi order to adorn themselves
before the people. For if John had joined them and accepted
their proffered honor, they also would have become great
and glorious before all the people, as being worthy of the
friendship and reverence of so holy and great a man. But
would not hereby all their avarice, tyranny, and rascality
have been confirmed and declared holy and worthy? Thus
John, with all his holiness, would have become a sponsor
for vice; and the coming of Christ would justly have been
regarded with suspicion, as being opposed to the doings of the
priests and tyrants, with whom John, this great and holy man,
would have taken sides.
9. Thus we see what rascality they practice and how they
tempt John to betray Christ and become a Judas Iscariot, in
order that he might confirm their injustice and they might
share his honor and popularity. What cunning fellows they
are, thus to fish for John's honor! They offer him an apple
for a kingdom, and would exchange counters for dollars. But
he remained firm as a rock, as is shown by the statement :
''And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am
not the Christ."
10. John's confession comprises two things: First, his
confessing, and secondly, his not denying. His confessing is
his declaration about Christ, when he says, "I am not the
Christ." To this belongs also that he confesses to be neither
Elijah nor a prophet. His not denying is declaration of what
he really is, when he calls himself a voice in the wilderness,
preparing the way of the Lord. Thus his confession is free
and open, declaring not only what he is, but also what he is
not. For if some one declares what he is not, such a confession
is still obscure and incomplete, since one cannot know what is
118 luth^r's church posth,.
really to be thought of him. But here John openly says, what
is to be thought of him, and what not, this giving the people
a certain assurance in confessing that he is not the Christ, and
not denying that he is the voice preparing his advent.
11. Yet someone might say. The Evangelist contradicts
himself in calling it a confession when John declares himself
not to be Christ, whereas this is rather a denial, for he denies
that he is Christ. To say, "Nay' is to deny, and the Jews wish
him to confess that he is Christ, which he denies ; yet the
Evangelist says that he confessed. And again, it is rather
a confession when he says, "I am the voice in the wilderness."
But the Evangelist considers this matter and describes it as it
is before God, and not as the words sound and appear to men.
For the Jews desired him to deny Christ, and not to confess
what he really was. But since he confesses what he is and
firmly insists upon what he is not, his act is before God a
precious confession and not a denial.
"And they asked him, What then? Art thou Blijahf and
he saith, I am not,"
12. The Jews, as said above, had the prophecy concerning
Elijah, that he was to come before the day of the Lord, Mai.
4, 5. It is therefore also among Christians a current belief
that Elijah is to come before the last day. Some add Enoch,
others St. John the Evangelist. Of this we shall have some-
thing to say.
13. In the first place, all depends upon whether the prophet
Malachi speaks of the second coming of the Lord on the last
day, or of his first coming into flesh and through the Gospel.
If he speaks of the last day, then we have certainly yet to
expect Elijah; for God cannot lie. The coming of Enoch and
St. John, however, has no foundation in Scripture, and is
therefore to be considered as a fable. If, on the other hand,
the prophet speaks of Christ's coming in the flesh and through
the Word, then assuredly Elijah is no more to be expected,
but John IS that same Elijah announced by Malachi.
14. I am of the opinion that Malachi spoke of no other
Elijah than John, and that Elijah the Tishbite, who went up
to heaven with the chariot of fire, is no more to be expected.
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVE^NT. 119
To this opinion I am forced first and foremost by the words
of the angel Gabriel, Luke 1, 17, who says to John's father,
Zacharias: "And he shall go before his face in the spirit and
power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the
just." With these words the angel manifestly refers to the
prophecy of ]\Ialachi, adducing even the words of the prophet,
who also says that Elijah is to turn the hearts of fathers to
children, — as cited above. Now then, if Malachi had meant
another Elijah, the angel doubtless would not have applied
these words to John.
15. In the second place, the Jews themselves of old un-
derstood Malachi to speak of Christ's coming into the flesh.
Therefore they here ask John whether he is Elijah, who is
to come before the Christ. But they erred in thinking of the
original and bodily Elijah. For the purport of the text is
indeed that Elijah is to come beforehand, but not that same
Elijah. We do not read, Elijah the Tishbite is to come, as
the Bible calls him in 1 Kings 17, 1 and 2 Kings 1, 3. 8, but
merely Elijah, a prophet. This Gabriel, Luke 1, 17, explains
a^ meaning, "In the spirit and power of Elijah," sayfng, as
it were. He will be a real Elijah. Just as we now say of one
who has another's manner and carriage. He is a true X. ; as
I may say e. g.. The Pope is a real Caiaphas ; John was a real
St. Paul. In the same manner does God through Malachi
promise one who is to be a true Elijah, i. e. John the Baptist.
16. Yet would I not trust the interpretation of the Jews
alone, were it not confirmed by Christ, Math. 10, lOff. When,
on Alount Tabor, the disciples saw Elijah and Moses, they
said to the Lord, "Why then say the scribes that Elijah must
first come ?" They meant to say, "You have already come ; yet
Elijah has not come first, but only now, after you: and was
it not said that he was to come before you?" This inter-
pretation was not rejected, but confirmed by Christ, who
said, "Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things.
But I say unto you that Elijah is come already; and they knew
him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed."
Then the disciples understood, says St. Matthew, that he
1 20 Luther's church postil.
spoke of John the Baptist. St. Mark Hkewise says, 9, 13,
"But I say unto you that Elijah is come, and they have done
unto him whatsoever they would, even as it is written of him."
17. Now there is no other prophecy concerning Elijah's
coming but this one of Malachi, and Christ himself applies
it to John. Thus it has no force if someone were to object,
Christ says that Elijah is to come first and restore all things,
for Christ interprets his own words by saying, ''But I tell you
that Elijah is come" etc. He means to say. It is right and
true what you have heard about Elijah, that he is to come
first and restore all things ; thus it is written and thus it must
come to pass. But they do not know of which Elijah this
is said, for he is come already. With these words, therefore,
Christ confirms the Scriptures and the interpretation concern-
ing the coming Elijah, but he rejects the false interpretation
concerning an Elijah other than John.
18. Most strongly, however, does Christ assert, Math. 11,
13ff., that no other Elijah is coming- He says, ''AH the
prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you will
receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come. He that hath ears to
hear, let him hear." Here it is made clear that but one Elijah
was to come. Had there been another he would not have said,
"John is Elijah who was to come," but he would have had to
say, "John is one of the Elijahs," or simply, "He is Elijah."
But by calling John that Elijah whom everybody expects,
who, doubtless, was announced to come, he makes it suffi-
ciently clear that the prophecy of Malachi is fulfilled in John,
and that after this no other Elijah is to be expected.
19. We insist, therefore, that the Gospel, through which
Christ has come into all the world, is the last message before
the day of judgment; before this message and advent of Christ
John came and prepared the way. And although all the
prophets and the law prophesy until John, it is not allowed
to apply them, neglecting John, to another Elijah who is yet
to come. Thus also the prophecy of Malachi must fit the
times of John. He carries the line of the prophets down to
John's times and permits no one to pass by. — And so we
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVE^NT. 121
conclude with certainty that no other EHjah is to come, and
that the Gospel will endure unto the end of the world.
/'Art thou the prophet'^ And he ansivered, No,"
20. Some think the Jews here asked concerning that pro-
phet of whom Moses writes, in Deut. 18, 15: "The Lord thy
God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee,
of thy brethren, like unto me, etc." But this passage St. Peter
in Acts 3, 22 and St. Stephen in Acts 7, 37 apply to Christ
himself, which is the correct interpretation. The Jews also
certainly held this prophet in equal esteem with Moses, above
Elijah, and therefore understood him to be Christ. They
asked John whether he was an ordinary prophet, Hke the
others, since he was neither Christ nor Elijah. For they had
had no prophet since the days of Malachi, who was the last
and concluded the Old Testament with the above mentioned
prophecy concerning the coming of Elijah. John therefore
is the nearest to and first after Malachi, who in finishing his
book points to him. — The Jews then asked whether he was
one of the prophets. Christ likewise says of him. Math. 11, 9:
"Wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto
you, and much more than a prophet." And Matthew says in
21,26, "All hold John as a prophet."
21. Now the question arises. Did John really confess the
truth when he denied that he was Elijah or a prophet, whereas
Christ himself called him Elijah and more than a prophet?
He himself knew that he had come in the spirit and power of
Elijah, and that the Scriptures called him Elijah. To
say, therefore, that he did not consider himself a pro-
phet because he was more than a prophet, is disgraceful
and makes him an empty boaster. The truth of the matter
is, that he simply and in a straightforward manner confessed
the truth, namely, that he was not that Elijah about whom
they asked, nor a prophet. For the prophets commonly led
and taught the people, who sought advice and help from
them. Such a one John was not and would not be, for the
Lord was present, wdiom they were to follow and adhere to.
He did not desire to draw the people to himself, but to lead
them to Christ, which was needful before Christ himself came.
122 luthkr's church postil.
A prophet foretells the coming of Christ. John, however,
shows him present, which is not a piophet's task. Just so a
priest in the bishop's presence would direct the people away
from himself to the bishop, saying, "I am not priest; yonder
is your priest" ; but in the bishop's absence he would rule the
people in the place of the bishop.
22. John likewise directs the people away from himself
to Christ. And although this is a higher and greater office
than that of a prophet, yet it is not so on account of his merit,
but on account of the presence of his Master. And in prais-
ing John for being more than a prophet, not his worthiness
but that of his Master, who is present, is extolled. For it is
customary for a servant to receive greater honor and reverent;«
in the absence of his master than in his presence.
23. Even so the rank of a prophet is higher than that of
John, although his office is greater and more immediate. For
a prophet rules and leads the people, and they adhere to him ;
but John does no more than direct them away from himself
to Christ, the present blaster. Therefore, in the simplest and
most straightforward manner, he denied being a prophet, al-
though abounding in all the qualities of a prophet. This he
did for the sake of the people, in order that they might not
accept his testimony as the foretelling of a prophet and expect
Christ in other, future times, but that they might recognize
him as a forerunner and guide, and follow his guidance to
the Lord, who was present. Witness the following words of
the text:
/'They said therefore unto him. Who art thou? that we*
may give an anszver to them that sent us. What sayest thou
of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the
wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah
the prophet?'
24. This is the second part of his confession, in which
he declares what he is, after having denied that he w^as Christ,
or Elijah, or a prophet. As though he were to say. Your
salvation is much too near for a prophet to be required. Do
not strain your eyes so far out into the future, for the Lord
of all the prophets is himself here, so that no prophet is needed.
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT, 123
The Lord is coming this way, whose forerunner I am ; he is
treading on my heels. I am not prophesying of him as a seer,
but crying as a courier, to make room for him as he walks
along. I do not say, as the prophets, "Behold, he is to come'' ;
but I say, "Behold, he i.- coming, he is here. I am not bring-
ing word about him, but pointing to him with my finger.
Did not Isaiah long ago foretell that such a crying to make
room for the Lord should go before him? Such I am, and
not a prophet. Therefore, step aside and make room, permit
the Lord himself to walk among you bodily, and do not look
for any more prophecies about him."
25. Now this is the answer which no learned, wise, and
holy men can bear; therefore John must surely be a heretic
and be possessed of the devil. Only sinners and fools think
him a holy, pious man, listen to his crying and make room
for the Lord, removmg whatsoever obstructs his way. The
others, however, throw logs, stones and dirt in his way, aye,
they even kill both the Lord and his forerunner for presuming
to say such things to him. And why? John tells them to
prepare the way of the I ord. That is to say, they have not the
Lord nor his way in them. What have they then? Where the
Lord is not, nor hh way, there must be man's own way, the
devil, and all that is evil. Judge then, whether those holy
wise people are not justly incensed at John, condemn his word,
and finally slay both him and his Master! Shall he presume
to hand such holy people over to the devil, and denounce aM
their doings as false, wicked and damnable, claimmg that
their ways are not the Lord's ways, that they must first of
all prepare the Lord's ways, and that they have lived all
their holy lives in vain?
26. Yet, if he quietly wrote it on a tablet, they might still
hear it in patience. But he gives utterance to it, yea, he cries
it aloud, and that not in a corner, but openly under the skv,
in the wilderness, before all the world, utterly disgracing
before everybody those saints with all their doings and dis-
crediting them with all the people. Thus they lose all honor
and profit which their holy life formerly brought them. This
certainly such pious men cannot bear, but for God's and jus-
124 Luther's church postil,
tice's sake they cannot damn that false doctrine, in order that
the poor people may not be misled and the service of God be
not corrupted; aye, finally, they will have to kill John and
his Master, to serve and obey God the Father.
27. This, then, is the preparation of Christ's way and
John's proper office. He is to humble all the world, and pro-
claim that they are all sinners — lost, damned, poor, miserable,
pitiable people ; that there is no life, work, or rank however
holy, beautiful and good it may appear, but is damnable
unless Christ our God dwell therin, unless he work, walk, live,
be and dt) everything through faith in him ; in short, that they
all need Christ and should anxiously strive to share his grace.
Behold, where this is practiced, namely, that all man's
work and life is as nothing, there yoii have the true crying
of John in the wilderness and the pure and clear truth of
Christianity, as St. Paul shows, Rom. 3, 23 : "All have sinned,
and fall short of the glory of God." This is truly to humiliate
man, to cut out and annihilate his presumption. Aye, this
is indeed to prepare the way of the Lord, to give room and
to make way.
28. Now here are found two kinds of people: some be-
lieve the crying of John and confess it to be what he says.
These are the people to whom the Lord comes, in them his
way is prepared and made even, as St. Peter says in 1 Pet. 5,5:
*'God giveth grace to the humble"; and the Lord himself
says in Luke 18, 14: ''He that humbleth himself shall be
exalted." You must here diligently learn, and understand
spiritually what the way of the Lord is, how it is prepared,
and what prevents him from finding room in us. The way of
the Lord, as you have heard, is that he does all things within
you, so that all our works are not ours but his, which comes
by faith.
29. This, however, is not possible if you desire worthily
to prepare yourself by praying, fasting, self-mortification, and
your own works, as is now generally and foolishly taught
during the time of Advent. A spiritual preparation is meant,
consisting in a thoroughgoing knowledge and confession of
your being unfit, a sinner, poor, damned, and miserable, with
I^OURTH SUNDAY IN ADVE:nT. 125
all the works you may perform. The more a heart is thus
minded, the better it prepares the way of the Lord, although
meanwhile possibly drinking fine wines, walking on roses,
and not praying a word.
30. The hindrance, however, which obstructs the Lord's
way, is formed not only in the coarse and palpable sin of
adultery, wrath, haughtiness, avarice, etc., but rather in spir-
itual conceit and pharasaical pride, which thinks highly of its
own life and good works, feels secure, does not condemn itself,
and would remain uncondemned by another.
Such, then, is the other class of men, namely, those that do
not believe the crying of John, but call it the devil's, since it
forbids good works and condemns the service of God, as they
say. These are the people to whom most of all and most
urgently it is said, "Prepare the way of the Lord/' and who
least of all accept it.
3L Therefore John speaks to them with cutting words in
Luke 3, 7-8 : ''Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to
flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits
worthy of repentance." But, as said above, the more just
people are urged to prepare the Lord's way, the more they
obstruct it and the more unreasonable they become. They
will not be told that their doings are not the Lord's, and finally,
to the glory and honor of God, they annihilate the truth and
the word of John, himself and his Master to boot.
32. Judge, then, whether it w^as not a mighty confession on
the part of John, when he dared to open his mouth and pro-
claim that he was not Christ, but a voice to which they did
not like to listen, chiding the great teachers and leaders of
the people for not doing that which was right and the Lord's
pleasure. And as it went with John, so it still goes, from the
beginning of the world unto the end. For such conceited piety
will not be told that it must first and foremost prepare the
way of the Lord, imagining itself to sit in God's lap and
desiring to be petted and flattered by having long ago finished
the way, before God even thought of finding a way for them—
those precious saints! The pope and his followers likewise
have condemned the crying of John to prepare the Lord's
126 i.uthe:r''s church postil.
way. Aye, it is an intolerable crying — except to poor, peni-
tent sinners with aggrieved consciences, for whom it is the
best of cordials.
33. But isn't it a perverse and strange manner of speak-
ing to say, "I am the voice of one crying" ? How can a man
be a voice? He ought to have said, I am one crying with a
voice ! — But that it speaking according to the manner of the
Scriptures. In Ex. 4,16 God spoke to Moses: ''Aaron
shall be to thee a mouth." And in Job 29, 15 we read: ''I
was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame." Similarly
we say of a man that gold is his heart and money his life.
So here, ''I am the voice of one crying" means : I am one
who cries, and have received my name from my office ; even
as Aaron is called a mouth because of his speaking, I am a voice
because of my crying. And that which in Hebrew reads
vox clamantis, the voice of one crying, would be translated into
Latin: vox clamans, a crying voice. Thus St. Paul in Rom.
15, 26 says pauperes sanctorum, the poor of the saints, instead
of pauperes sancti, the poor saints ; and 1 Tim. 3, 16 : mysterium
pie fat is (the mystery of godliness) instead of inysteriuni piiim
(the godly mystery). Instead of saying : The language of the
Germans, I had better say, the German language. Thus "a
voice of one crying" means "a crying voice". In Hebrew
there are many similar phrases.
And they had been sent from the Pharisees. And they
asked him, and said unto him: Why then baptizest thou if
thou be not the Christ, nor BUjah, neither the prophet? John
answered them, saying, I baptize with water; in the midst of
you standeth one whom ye knozv not, even he that cometh after
me is preferred before me, the latchet of zvhose shoes I am not
worthy to unloose,
34. It seems as though the Evangelist had omitted some-
thing in these words, and as if John's complete answer ought
to be : ''I baptize with water ; but he has come among you
who baptizes with fire". Thus Luke (3, 16) says: 'I baptize
you with water: but he shall baptize you with fire." And in
Acts 1, 5 we read, "John baptized with water, but ye shall be
baptized with the Holy Ghost." But, although he here says
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 127
nothing of this other baptism, be sufficiently indicates that
there is to be another baptism, since he speaks of another who
is coming after him and who, inidoubtedly, will not baptize
with water.
35. Now begins the second onset, whereby John was tried
on the other side. For not being able to move him by allure-
ments they attack him with threats. And here is uncovered
their false humility, manifesting itself as pride and haughtiness.
The same they would have done had John followed them, after
they had had enough of him. Learn therefore here to be on
your guard against men, particularly when they feign to be
gentle and kind; as Christ says. Math. 10, 16-1:7 : ''Beware of
men, be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." That is
to say. Do not trust those that are smooth, and do no evil to
your enemies.
36. Behold, these Pharisees, who professed their willing-
ness to accept John as the Christ, veer around when things turn
out as they desired, and censure John's baptism. They say, as
it were, "Since you are not Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet,
you are to know that we are your superiors according to the
law of Moses and you are therefore to conduct yourself as
our subordinate. You are not to act independently, without
our command, our knowledge and without our permission.
Who has given you power to introduce something new among
our people with your baptizing? You are bringing yourself
into trouble with your criminal disobedience''.
37. John however, as he had despised their hypocrisy, like-
wise scorns their threats, remains firm, and confesses Christ
as before. Moreover he boldly attacks them and charges them
with ignorance, saying, as it v/ere : "I have no authority from
you to baptize with water. But what of that ? There is another
from whom I have power; him you do not know, but he is
amply sufficient for me. If you knew him, or wished to know
him, you would not ask whence I have power to baptize, but
you would come to be baptized yourselves. For he is so much
greater than I, that I am not worthy to unloose his shoes'
latchet.
38. John's words, "He it is who, coming after me, is pre-
128 luthe:r's church postil.
ferred before me," three times quoted by the EvangeHst in this
chapter, have been misinterpreted and obscured by some who
referred them to Christ's divine and eternal birth, as though
John meant to say that Christ had been born before him in
eternity. But what is remarkable is the fact that he was born
before John in eternity, seeing that he was born before the
world and all other things ? Thus he was also to come not only
after him, but after all things, since he is the first and the last
(Rev. l,'ll). Therefore, his past and his future agree.
John's words are clear and simple, referring to Christ when he
already was a man. The words ''He will come after me"
cannot be taken to mean that he would be born after him;
John like Christ, was at that time about thirty years old.
39. These words then evidently apply to his preaching.
He^means to say: "'I have come — that is, I have begun to
preach but I shall soon stop, and another will come and preach
after me." Thus St. Luke says, Acts 1, 22, that Christ began
from the baptism of John; and, Luke 3, 23, that Jesus was
thirty years old when he began. And Math. IL 3: "Art thou
he that should come," that is, he who should begin to preach;
for Christ's office does not begin till after his baptism, at
which his father had acknowledged and glorified him. Then
also began the New Testament and the time of grace, not at
the birth of Christ, as he himself says, Mark 1, 15: "The time
is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand." Had he not
begun to preach, his birth would have been of no use; but
when he did begin to act and to teach, then were fulfilled all
prophecies, all Scriptures, then came a new light, and a new
world.
40. So we see what he means by saying, "He will come
after me." But the meaning of the words, "He is preferred
before me ; he was before me," is not yet clear, some referring
them to Christ's eternal birth. We maintain in all simplicity
that those words also were spoken concerning their preaching.
Thus the meaning is : "Although he is not yet preaching, but
is coming after me, and I am preaching before him : neverthe-
less he is already at hand, and so close by that, before I began
to preach, he has already been there and has been appointed
]?OURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 129
to preach. The words "before me" therefore point to John's
office, and not to his person. Thus, "he has been before my
preaching and baptism for about thirty years; but he has not
yet come, and has not yet begun. John thereby indicates hi«
office, namely, that he is not a prophet foretelUng the coming
of Christ, but one who precedes him who is already present,
who is so near that he has already been in existence so many
years before his beginning and coming.
41. Therefore he also says: "In the midst of you standeth
one whom ye know not." He means to say : "Do not permit
your eyes to wander off into future ages. He of whom the
prophets speak has been among you in the Jewish nation for
well nigh thirty years. Take care and do not miss him. You
do not know him, therefore I have come to point him out to
you." The words, "In the midst of you standeth one," are
spoken after the manner of the Scriptures, which say, A pro-
phet will arise or stand up. Thus Math. 24, 24, "There shall
arise false prophets." Deut. 18, 15 God says, "The Lord thy
God will raise up unto thee a prophet." John now wishes to
show that this "raising up, arising, standing," etc. was ful-
filled in Christ, who was already standing among them, as God
had prophesied ; the people however knew him not.
42. This then is the other office of John and of every
preacher of the Gospel, not alone to make all the world sinners,
as we have heard above (§24ff.) ; but also to give comfort and
show how we may get rid of our sins ; this he does in pointing
to him who is to come. Hereby he directs us to Christ, who is
to redeem us from our sins, if we accept him in true faith. The
first office says : "You are all sinners, and are wanting in the
way of the Lord." When we believe this, the other office fol-
lows and says; "Listen, and accept Christ, believe in him, he
will free you of your sins." If we believe this, we have it. Of
this we shall say more anon.
These things zvere done in Bethany beyond the Jordan,
zvhere John zvas baptising .
43. So diligently does the Evangelist record the testimony
of John, that he also mentions the places where it happened.
The confession of Christ is greatly dependent on testimony, and
130 Luther's church postil.
there are many difficulties in the way. Undoubtedly, however,
he wished to allude to some spiritual mystery of which we shall
now speak.
II. THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THIS
GOSPEL STORY.
44. This is the sum and substance of it: In this Gospel
is pictured the preacher's office of the New Testament, what
it is, what it does, and what happens to it.
45. First, it is the voice of one calling, not a piece of writing.
The Law and the Old Testament are dead writings, put into
books, and the Gospel is to be a living voice. Therefore John is
an image, and a type, and also a pioneer, the first of all
preachers of the Gospel. He writes nothing, but calls out
everything with his living voice.
46. Secondly, the Old Testament or the Law was preached
among the tents at Mount Sinai, to the Jews alone. But John's
voice is heard in the wilderness, freely and openly, under the
heavens, before all the world.
47. Thirdly, it is a calling, clear and loud voice, that is to
say, one that speaks boldly and undauntedly and fears no one,
neither death, hell, life nor the world, neither devil, man, honor,
disgrace nor any creature. Thus Isaiah says in 40, Off : *'The
voice of one saying, cry. And one said. What shall I cry?
All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower
of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the
word of our God shall stand forever." And further : *'0 thou
that teilest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high moun-
tain; lift up thy voice with strength ; lift it up, be not afraid."
The world cannot bear the Gospel, and hence there must be a
strength, which scorns it and can call against it without fear.
Fourthly, John's raiment is of camel's hair and has a leather
girdle (Mat. 3, 4). This means the strict and chaste life of
preachers, but above all it points to the manner of the preachers
of the Gospel. It is a voice not given to soft phrases, neither
does it deal ih hypocrisy and flattery. It is a sermon of the
icross, a hard, rough sharp speech for the natural man, and
girds the loins for spiritual and bodily chastity. This is taken
I^OURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 131
from the life and words of the patriarchs of old, who like
camels have borne the burden of the Law and of the cross.
"He eats locusts and wild honey." This means those that
accept the Gospel, namely, the humble sinners, who take the
Gospel unto and into themselves.
49. Fifthly, John is on the other side of the Jordan. "Jor-
dan" really means the Holy Scriptures, which have two sides.
One, the left side, is the external meaning which the Jews
sought in Holy Writ ; here John is not. For this interpretation
does not produce sinners, but saints proud of their works. The
right side is the true spiritual understanding, which discards
and kills all works, in order that faith alone may remain, in
all humility. This meaning is brought out in the Gospels, as
St. Paul does, Rom.3, 23, saying: "All have sinned."
50. Sixthly, here begins the dispute between true and false
preachers. The Pharisees cannot bear to hear John's voice,
they despise his teaching and baptism, and remain obdurate
in their doings and teachings. On account of the people how-
ever they pretend xo think highly of him. But because he op-
poses their will, he must be possessed of the devil, they say,
and finally he must be beheaded by Herod. So it is now and
so it has always been. No false teacher wishes it to be said of
him that he preaches without or against the Gospel, but on
the contrary that he thinks highly of it and believes in it.
Nevertheless he does violence to it, making it conform to his
meaning. This the Gospel cannot permit, for it stands firm and
never lies. Then it is reviled as heresy and error, aye as a
devilish doctrine, and finally they apply violence prohibiting
it and striking off its head so that it may nowhere be preached
or heard. This was done by the pope in the case of John Huss.
51. Thus he is a truly Christian preacher who preaches
nothing but that which John proclaimed, and firmly insists
upon it.
First, he must preach the Law so that the people may learn
what great things God demands of us; of these we cannot
perform any because ot the impotence of our nature which has
been corrupted by Adam's fall. Then comes the baptism in
Jordan. The cold water means the teaching of the Law, which
132 luthkr's church postil.
does not kindle love but rather extinguishes it. For through
the Law man learns how difficult and how impossible of ful-
fillment the Law is. Then he becomes hostile to it, and his
love for it cools; he feels that he heartily hates it. This of
course is a grievous sin, to be hostile to God's commands.
Therefore man must humble himself, and confess that he is
lost and that all his works are sibs, aye, that his whole life is
sinful. Herewith then John's baptism has been accomplished,
and he has been, not only besprinkled, but properly baptized.
Then he sees why John says, "Repent ye". He understands
that John is right, and that everyone must needs become a
better man and repent. But Pharisees and those holy in their
works do not arrive at this knowledge, nor do they permit them-
selves to be baptized. They imagine that they do not need
repentance, and therefore John's words and baptism are fool-
ishness fn their eyes. ,
52. Furthermore, when the first teaching, that of the Law,
and baptism are over and man, humiliated by the knowledge
of himself, is forced to despair of himself and his powers ; then
begihs the second part of John's teaching, in which he directs
the people from himself to Christ and says : ''Behold the Lamb
of God that takes upon itself the sin of the world." By this
he means to say: "First I have, by my teaching, made you
all sinners, have condemned your works and told you to despair
of yourselves. But in order that you may not also despair of
God, behold, I will show you how to get rid of your sins and
obtain salvation. Not that you can strip off your sins or make
yourselves pious through your works; another man is needed
for this ; nor can I do it, I can point him out, however. It
is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. He, he, and no one else either
in heaven or on earth takes our sins upon himself. You your-
self could not pay for the very smallest of sins. He alone must
take upon himself not alone your sins, but the sins of the world,
and not some sins, but all the sins of the world, be they great
or small, many or few." This then is preaching and hearing the
pure Gospel, and recognizing the finger of John, who points
out to you Christ, the Lamb of God.
53. Now, if you are able to believe that this voice of John
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 133
speaks the truth, and if you are able to follow his finger and
recognize the Lamb of God carrying your sin, then you have
gained the victory, then you are a Christian, a master of sin,
death, hell, and all things. Then your conscience will rejoice
and become heartily fond of this gentle Lamb of God. Then
will you love, praise, and give thanks to our heavenly Father
for thi's infinite wealth of his mercy, preached by John and
given in Christ. And finally you will become cheerful and will-
ing to do his divine will, as best you can, with all your strength.
For what lovelier and more comforting message can be heard
than that our sins are not ours any more, that they no more
lie on us, but on the Lamb of God. How can sin condemn such
an innocent Lamb ? Lying on him, ?t must be vanquished and
made to nothing, and likewise death and hell, being the reward
of sin, must be vanquished also. Behold what God our Father
has given us in Christ !
54. Take heed, therefore, take heed, I say, lest you presume
to get rid of the smallest of your sins through your own merit
before God, and lest you rob Christ, the Lamb of God, of his
credit. John indeed demands that we grow better and repent ;
but that he does not mean us to grow better of ourselves and
to strip off our sins by our own strength, this he declares power-
fully by adding, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away
the sin of the world." As we have said above (§29), hie means
that each one is to know himself and his need of becoming a
better man ; yet he is not to look for this in himself, but in Je-
sus Christ alone. — Now may God our Father according to his
infinite mercy bestow upon us this knowledge of Christ, and
may he send into the world the voice of John, with great
numbers of evangelists! Amen.
134 IvUThkr's church postiu
CHRISTMAS DAY.
This sermon appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,133; W. 11,162;
St. L. II, 118.
Text : Luke 2 : 1-14. Now if came to pass in those days,
there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world
should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment made when
Qiiirinius zvas governor of Syria. And all went to enrol them-
selves, every one to his own city. And Joseph also went up
from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Jiidea, to the
city of David, zvhich is called BethleJicm, because he zvas of the
house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who
was betrothed to him, being great zvith child. And it came to
pass, zvhile they zuere there, the days zvere fulfilled that she
should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son;
and she zvrapped him in swaddling clothes, arid laid him in a
manger, because there zvas no room for than in the inn.
And there zvere shepherds in the same country abiding in
the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. And
an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And'
the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring
you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people :
for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour,
zvho is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you: Ye
shall find a babe zm-apped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a
manger. And suddenly there zvas with the angel a midtitude
of the heavenly host praising God, and saying. Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace among men in whom he is
well pleased.
CONTENTS: OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS, AND OF THE
ANGEE SONG OF PRAISE AT HIS BIRTH.
I. THE BIRTH OF JESUS. 1. How what Haggai the
I. The Birth of Jesus is Treat- Prophet wrote was fulfilled
ed According To History. in his birth. 1.
CHRISTMAS DAY.
185
2. The most important circvrr-
stances of this birth.
a. The time when this birth
took place. 2-4.
* In what way the Gospel
of Christ's birth brings
forth the right fruit. 5.
b. His mother as a poo^r. de-
spised and miserable per-
son. 6-8.
c. The place where this birtli
took place. 8-10. ^
3. The birth Itself. ^
a. As a pitiful birth. 11-12.
b. Whether this birth took
place in prayer and with
great joy. 13.
c. Whether this birth took
place like other births.
13-15.
d. How this birth was holy,
chaste, and full of wond-
ers. 16-17.
e. How high and honored
this birth was in heaven.
18-20.
4. The history of the birth of
Jesus is full of spirit and
life. 21-23.
II. The Birth of Jesus Treated
According to its Spk-itual
Meaning; and
A. As To Faith.
1. The things whose spiritual
interpretation is set forth.
24-25.
2. The spiritual interpretation
itself. 26-27f.
* Concerning good works. 28-32.
* Two things in which a Chris-
tian should exercise himself.
33.
B. As To The Gospel.
1. The nature of the fact whose
spiritual meaning is set forth.
34-35.
2. The spiritual meaning in it-
self, which consists in the fol-
lowing:
a. That angels made known
Christ's birth. 36.
b. That Christ's birth took
place at midnight. 37.
c. That the light shined around
the shepherds. 38.
d. That Jesus was born in Ju-
dea and in Jerusalem. 39-
41.
e. That the angel said, "I bring
you good tidings of great
joy,' "evangelizo." 42-44.
C. As To The Signs.
1. The spiritual meaning of the
swaddling clothes. 45-49.
2. The spiritual meaning of the
manger. 50.
* Christ wrapped in swaddling
clothes signify faith in the Old
Testament. 51-52.
D. As To The Messengers that
Proclaimed Jesus' Birth. 54-55.
E. As To The Shepherds, To Whom
The Birth Of Jesus Was Pro-
claimed. 56-57.
* Admonition to love your neigh-
bor. 58-60.
r. THE ANGEL'S SONO AND
PRAISE.
I. How these things are set forth
in this song of praise.
A. These three things in gener-
al. 61.
B. These three things in detail.
1. God's glory.
a. This glory belongs to no
one but God. 62.
b. How God is robbed of this
glory in Adam. 63.
c. Christ restored this glory.
64.
2. Peace.
a. The connection of peace
with the glory of God. 65.
b. This peace is a mark of
true Christians. 66.
c. The foundation of this
peace. 67.
3. Good Will.
a. Why the angels added this.
68-69.
b. What is to be understood
by this good will. 68-70.
c. The need of this good will.
70.
* He who will be agreeable to
every one, must let every
one be agreeable to himself.
71.
II. How we may learn from this
song of praise, what kind of
creatures the angels are;
namely:
1. They are full of light and fire
for the glory of God. 72.
2. They are full of love to man.
73.
* Of the birth of Christ.
a. Where it is described in the
clearest manner. 74.
b. How it was proclaimed by
patriarch and prophet. 75.
c. How it is pictured forth in
many figures of the Old Tes-
tament. 76.
d. How and why we should
hold firmly to it. 77.
* The conclusion of the ex-
position of this Gospel. 78.
I. THE BIRTH OF JESUS.
The Story of Jesus' Birth.
1. It is written in Haggai 2,6-7, that God says: "I will
shake the heavens ; and the prec?ous things of all nations shall
136 luthkr's church ±'OSTil.
come." This is fulfilled to-day, for the heavens were shaken,
that is, the angels in the heavens sang praises to God. And
the earth was shaken, that is, the people on the earth were
agitated; one journeying to this city, another to that througout
the whole land, as the Gospel tells us. It was not a violent,
bloody uprising, but rather a peaceable one awakened by God
who is the God of peace.
It is not to be understood that all countries upon earth were
so agitated; but only those under Roman rule, which did not
comprise half of the whole earth. However, no land was agi-
tated as was the land of Judea, which had been divided among
the tribes of Israel, although at this time the land was in-
habited mostly by the race of Judah, as the ten tribes led cap-
tive into Assyria never returned.
2. This taxing, enrollment, or census, says Luke, was the
first; but in the Gospel according to Matthew, 17,24, and at
other places we read that it was continued from tfme to time,
that they even demanded tribute of Christ, and tempted him
with the tribute money. Math. 22,17. On the day of his suffer-
ing they also testified against him, that he forbade to give
tribute to Csesar. The Jews did not like to pay tribute, and un-
willingly submitted to the taxiing, maintaining that they were
God's people and free from Caesar. They had great disputes
as to whether they were obliged to pay the tribute, but they
could not help themselves and were compelled to submit. For
this reason they would have been pleased to draw Jesus into
the discussion and bring him under the Roman jurisdiction.
This taxing was therefore nothing else but a common decree
througout the whole empire that every individual should annu-
ally pay a penny, and the officers who collected the tribute were
called publicans, who in German are improperly interpreted
notorious sinners.
3. Observe how exact the Evangelist is in his statement that
the birth of Christ occurred in the time of Csesar Augustus,
and when Quirinius was governor of Syria, of which the land
of Judea was a part, just as Austria is a part of the Germatw
land. This being the very first taxing, it appears that this trib
ute was never before paid until just at the time when Christ
CHRISTMAS DAY. 137
was to be born. By this Jesus shows that his kingdom was
not to be of an earthly character nor to exercise worldly power
and lordship, but that he, together with his parents, is subject
to the powers that be. Since he comes at the time of the very
first enrollment, he leaves no doubt with respect to this, for had
he desired to leave it in doubt, he might have willed to be born
under another enrollment, so that it might have been said it
just happened so, without any divine intent.
4. And had he not willed to be submissive, he might have
been born before there was any enrollment decreed. Since
now all the works of Jesus are precious teachings, this circuni-
stance can not be interpreted otherwise than that he by divine
counsel and purpose will not exercise any worldly authority;
but will be subject to it. This then is the first rebuke to the
pope's government and every thing of that character, that har-
monizes with the kingdom of Christ as night does with day.
5. This Gospel is so clear that it requires very little explan-
ation, but it should be well considered and taken deeply to
heart ; and no one will receive more benefit from it than those
who, with a calm, quiet heart, banish everything else from
their mind, and dilligently look into it. It is just as the sun
which is reflected ih calm water and gives out vigorous warmtn,
but which can not be so readily seen nor can it give out such
warmth in water that is in roaring and rapid motion.
Therefore, if you would be enlightened and warmed, if you
would see the wonders of divine grace and have your heart
aglow and enlightened, devout and joyful, go where you ca^'i
silently meditate and lay hold of this picture deep in your hearf,
and you will see miracle upon miracle. But to give the common
person a start and a motive to contemplate it, we will illustrate
it in part, and afterwards enter into it more deeply.
6. First, behold how very ordinary and common things are
t) us that transpire on earth, and yet how high they are re-
garded in heaven. On earth it occurs in this wise : Here is a
poor young woman, Mary of Nazareth, not highly esteemed,
but of the humblest citizens of the village. No one Is conscious
of the great wonder she bears, she is silent, keeps her own
counsel, and regards herself as the lowliest in the town. She
138 i^uther's church postiu
starts out with her husband Joseph; very Hkely they had no
servant, and he had to do the work of master and servant, and
she that of mistress and maid, They were therefore obliged to
leave their home unoccupied, or commend it to the care of
others.
7. Now they evidently owned an ass, upon which Mary
rode, although the Gospel does not mention it, and it is possible
that she went on foot with Joseph. Imagine how she was de-
spised at the inns and stopping places on the way, although
worthy to ride in state in a chariot of gold.
There were, no doubt, many wives and daughters of promi-
nent men at that time, who lived in fine apartments and great
splendor, while the mother of God takes a journey in mid-win-
ter under most trying circumstances. What distinctions there
are in the world ! It was more than a day's journey from Naza-
reth in Galilee to Bethlehem in the land of Judea. They had
to journey either by or through Jerusalem, for Bethlehem is
south of Jerusalem while Nazareth is north.
8. The Evangelist shows how, when they arrived at Bethle-
hem, they were the most insignificant and despised, so that they
had to make way for others until they were obliged to take
refuge in a stable, to share with the cattle, lodging, table, bed-
chamber and bed, while many a wicked man sat at the head in
the hotels and was honored as lord. No one noticed or was
conscious of what God was doing in that stable. He lets the
large houses and costly apartments remain empty, lets their
inhabitants eat, drink and be merry ; but this comfort and treas-
ure are hidden from them. O what a dark night this was for
Bethlehem, that was not conscious of that glorious light ! See
how God shows that he utterly disregards what the world is,
has or desires; and furthermore, that the world shows how
little it knows or notices what God is, has and does.
9. See, this is the first picture with which Christ puts the
world to shame and exposes all it does and knows. It shows
that the world's greatest wisdom is foolishness, her best actions
are wrong and her greatest treasures are misfortunes. What
had Bethlehem when it did not have Christ? What have they
now who at that time had enough? Wliat do Joseph and Mary
CHRISTMAS DAY. 130
lack now, although at that time they had no room to sleep
comfortably ?
10. Some have commented on the word ''diversonum", as
if it meant an open archway, through which every body could
pass, where some asses stood, and that Alary could not get
to a lodging place. This is not right. The Evangelist desires
to show that Joseph and Mary had to occupy a stable, because
there was no room for her in the inn, in the place where the
pilgrim guests generally lodged. All the guests were cared for
in the inn or caravansary, with room, food and bed, except
these poor people who had to creep into a stable where it was
customary to house cattle.
This word "diversorium", w^hich by Luke is called "katal-
yma" means nothing else than a place for guests, which is
proved by the words of Christ, Luke 22 : 11, where he sent the
disciples to prepare the supper, ''Go and say unto the master
of the house. The Teacher saith unto thee. Where is the guest
chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?"
So also here Joseph and ]\Iary had no room in the katalynia, the
inn, but only in the stable belonging to the innkeeper, who
would not have been worthy to give shelter to such a guest.
They had neither money nor influence to secure a room in the
inn, hence they were obliged to lodge in a stable. O world, how
stupid ! O man, how blind thou art !
11. But the birth itself is still more pitiful. There was no
one to take pity on this young wife w^ho was for the first time
to give birth to a child ; no one to take to heart her condition
that she, a stranger, did not have the least thing a mother needs
in a birth-night. There she is without any preparation, with-
out either light or fire, alone in the darkness, without any one
offering her service as is customary for women to do at such
times. Every thing is in commotion in the inn, there is a
swarming of guests from all parts of the country, no one thinks
of this poor woman. It is also possible that she did not expect
the event so soon, else she would probably have remained at
Nazareth.
12. Just imagine what kind of swaddling clothes they were
in which she wrapped the child. Possibly her veil or some article
140 luthkr's church postii,.
of her clothinp^ she could spare. But that she should have
wrapped him in Joseph's trousers, which are exhibited at Aix-
la-Chapelle. appears entirely too false and frivolous. It is a
fable, the like of which there are more in the world. Is it not
strange that the birth of Christ occurs in cold winter, in a
strange land, and in such a poor and despicable manner?
13. Some argue as to how this birth took place, as if Jesus
was born while Mary was praying and rejoicing, without any
pain, and before she was conscious of it. While I do not al-
together discard that pious supposition,it was evidently invented
for the sake of simple minded people. But we must abide by
the Gospel, that he was born of the virgin Mary. There is no
deception here, for the Word clearly states that it was an
actual birth.
14. It is well known what is meant by giving birth. Mary's
experience was not different from that of other women, so that
the birth of Christ was a real natural birth, Mary being his
natural mother and he being her natural son. Therefore her
body performed its functions of giving birth, which naturally
belonged to it, except that she brought forth without sin, with-
out shame, without pain and without injury, just as she had
conceived without sin. The curse of Eve did not come on her,
where God said : "In pain thou shalt bring forth children," Gen.
8:16; otherwise it was with her in every particular as with
every woman who gives birth to a child.
15. Grace does not interfere with nature and her work, but
rather improves and promotes it. Likewise Mary, without
doubt, also nourished the child with milk from her breast and
not with strange milk, or in a manner different from that which
nature provided, as we sing: ubere de coelo pleno, from her
breast being filled by heaven, without injury or impurity.
I mention this that we may be grounded in the faith and know
that Jesus was a natural man in every respect just as we, the
only difference being in his relation to sin and grace, he being
without a sinful nature. In him and in his mother nature was
pure in all the members and in all the operations of those mem-
bers. No body or member of woman ever performed its nat-
ural fmnction without sin, except that of this virgin ; here for
CHRISTMAS DAY. 14t
once God bestowed special honor upon nature and its opera-
tions. It is a great comfort to us that Jesus took upon him-
self our nature and flesh. Therefore we are not to take away
from him or his mother any thing that is not in conflict with
grace, for the text clearly says that she brought him forth, and
the angels said, unto you he is born.
16. How could God have shown his goodness in a more
sublime manner than by humbling himself to partake of flesh
and blood, that he did not even disdain the natural privacy but
honors nature most highly in that part where in Adam and
Kve it was most mi'serably brought to shame? so that hence-
forth even that can be regarded godly, honest and pure, which
in all men is the most ungodly, shameful and impure. These
are real miracles of God, for in no way could he have given
us stronger, more forcible and purer pictures of chastity than
in this birth. When we look at this birth, and reflect upon how
the sublime IMajesty moves with great earnestness and inex-
pressable love and goodness upon the flesh and blood of this
virgin, we see how here all evil lust and every evil thought is
banished.
17. No woman can inspire such pure thoughts in a man as
this virgin; nor can any man inspire such pure thought in a
woman as this child. If in reflecting on this birth we recognize
the work of God that is embodied in it, only chastity and purity
spring from it.
18. But what happens in heaven concerning this birth? As
much as it is despised on earth, so much and a thousand times
more is it honored in heaven. If an angel from heaven came
and praised you and your work, would you not regard it of
greater value than all the praise and honor the world could give
you, and for which you would be willing to bear the greatest
humility and reproach? What exalted honor is that when all
the angels in heaven can not restrain themselves from breaking
out in rejoicing, so that even poor shepherds in the fields hear
them preach, praise God, sing and pour out their joy without
measure? Were not all joy and honor realized at Bethlehem,
yes, all joy and honor experienced by all the kings and nobles
on earth, to be regarded as only dross and abomination, of
142 luthe:r's church postiu
which no one likes to thihk, when compared with the joy and
glory here displayed ?
19. Behold how very richly God honors those who are de-
spised of men, and that very gladly. Here you see that his
eyes look into tine depths of humility, as is written, "He sitteth
above the cherubim" and looketh into the depths. Nor jcould
the angels find princes or vallient men to whom to communicate
the good news; but only unlearned laymen, the most humble
people upon earth. Could they not have addressed the high-
priests, who it was supposed knev/ so much concernihg God
and the angels? No, God chose poor shepherds, who, though
they were of low esteem in the sight of men, were in heaven
regarded as worthy of such great grace and honor.
20. See how utterly God overthrows that which is lofty!
And yet we rage and rant for nothing but this empty honor, as
we had no honor to seek in heaven ; we continually step out of
God's sight, so that he may not see us in the depths, into which
he alone looks.
21. This has been considered sufficiently for plain people.
Every one should ponder it further for himself. If every word
is properly grasped, it is as fire that sets the heart aglow, as
God says in Jer. 23, 29, "Is not my Word like fire?" And as we
see, it is the purpose of the divine Word, to teach us to know
God and his work, and to see that this life is nothing. For
as he does not live according to this life and does not have
possessions nor temporal honor and power, he does not regard
these and says nothing concerning them, but teaches only the
contrary. He works in opposition to these temporal things,
looks with favor upon that from which the world turns, teach-
es that from which it flees and takes up that which it discards.
22. And although we are not willing to tolerate such acts
of God and do not want to receive blessing, honor and life In
this way, yet it must remain so. God does not change his pur-
pose, nor does he teach or act differently than he purposed.
We must adapt ourselves to him, he will not adapt himself to
us. Moreover, he who will not regard his word, nor the man-
ner in which he works to bring comfort to men, has assuredly
no good evidence of being saved. In what more lovely man-
CHRISTMAS DAY. 113
ner could he have shown his grace to the humble and despised
of earth, than through this birth in poverty, over which the
angels rejoice, and make it known to no one but to the poor
shepherds ?
23. Let us now look at the mysteries set before us in this
history. In all the mysteries here two things are especially set
forth, the Gospel and faith, that is, what is to be preached and
what is to be believed, who are to be the preachers, and who
are to be the believers. This we will now consider.
II. THE BIRTH OF JESUS CONSIDERED IN IT'S
SPIRITUAL MEANING.
A. The teaching concerning faith..
24. Faith is first, and it is right that we recognize it as the
most important in every word of God. It is of no value only
to believe that this history is true as it is written ; for all sin-
ners, even those condemned believe that. The Scripture, God's
Word, does not teach concerning faith, that it is a natural
work, without grace. The right and gracious faith which God
demands is, that you firmly believe that Christ is born for you,
and that this birth took place for your welfare. The Gospel
teaches that Christ was born, and that he did and suffered ev-
erything in our behalf, as is here declared by the angel : "Be-
hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to
all the people ; for there is born to you this day a Saviour, who
is Christ the Lord." In these words you clearly see that he is
born for us.
25. He does not simply say, Christ is born, but to you he
is born, neither does he say, I bring glad tidings, but to you
I bring glad tidings of great joy. Furthermore, this joy was
not to remain in Christ, but it shall be to all the people. This
faith no condemned or wicked man has, nor can he have it;
for the right ground of salvation which unites Christ and the
believeing heart is that they have all things in common. But
what have they?
26. Christ has a pure, innocent, and holy birth. Man has
an unclean, sinful, condemned birth; as David says, Ps. 51, 5,
"Behold I was brought forth in iniquity; and in sin did my
144 luthe:r's church postil.
mother conceive me." Nothing can help this miholy birth ex-
cept the pure birth of Christ. But Christ's birth can not be dis-
tributed in a material sense neither would that avail any thing ;
it is therefore imparted spiritually, through the Word, as the
angel says, it is given to all who firmly believe so that no
harm will come to them because of their impure birth. This
it the way and manner in which we are to be cleansed from the
miserable birth we have from Adam. For this purpose Christ
willed to be born, that through him we might be born again, as
he says John 3 : 3, that it takes place through faith ; as also
St. James says in 1,18: *'0f his own will he brought us
forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-
fruits of his creatures."
27. We see here how Christ, as it were, takes our birth
from us and absorbs it in his birth, and grants us his, that in
it we might become pure and holy, as if it were our own, so
that every Christian may rejoice and glory in Christ's birth
as much as if he had himself been born of Mary as was Christ.
Whoever does not believe this, or doubts, is no Christian.
28. O, this is the great joy of which the angel speaks.
This is the comfort and exceeding goodness of God that, if
a man believes this, he can boast of the treasure that Mary is
his rightful mother, Christ his brother, and God his father.
For thesö tilings actually occured and are true, but we must
believe. This is the principal thing and the principal treasure
in every Gospel, before any doctrine of good works can be
taken out of it. Christ must above all things become our own
and we become his, before we can do good works.
But this can not occur except through the faith that
teaches us rightly to understand the Gospel and properly to lay
hold of it. This is the only way in which Christ can be rightly
known so that the conscience is satisfied and made to rejoice.
Out of this grow love and praise to God who in Christ has
bestowed upon us such unspeakable gifts. This gives courage
to do or leave undone, and living or dying, to suffer every
thing that is well pleasing to God. This is what is meant by
Isaiah 9 : 6, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,"
to us, to us, to us is born, and to us is given this child.
CHRISTMAS DAY. 145
29. Therefore see to it that you do not find pleasure in the
Gospel only as a history, for that is only transcient; neither
regard it only as an example, for it is of no value without
faith ; but see to it that you make this birth your own and that
Christ be born in you. This will be the lease if you believe,
then you will repose in the lap of the virgfn Mary and be her
dear child. But you must exercise this faith and pray while
you live, you cannot establish it too firmly. This is our founda-
tion and inheritance, upon which good works must be built.
30. If Christ has now thus become your own, and you have
by such faith been cleansed through him and have received your
inheritance without any personal merit, but alone through the
love of God who gives to you as your own the treasure and
work of his Son ; it follows that you will do good works by do-
ing to your neighbor as Christ has done to you. Here good
works are their own teacher. What are the good works of
Christ? Is it not true that they are good because they have
been done for your benefit, for God's sake, who commanded
him to do the works in your behalf? In this then Christ was
obedient to the Father, in that he loved and served us.
31. Therefore since you have received enough and become
rich, you have no other commandment to serve Christ and
render obedience to him, than so to direct your works that they
may be of benefit to your neighbor, just as the works of Christ
are of benefit and use to you. For the reason Jesus sai'd at the
Last Supper : "This is my commandment that ye love one an-
other; even as I have loved you." John, 13:34. Here it is
seen that he loved us and did every thing for our benefit, in
order that we may do the same, not to him, for he needs it not,
but to our neighbor ; this is his commandment, and this is our
obedience. Therefore it is through faith that Christ becomes
our own, and his love is the cause that we are his. He loves,
we believe, thus both are united into one. Again, our neigh-
bor believes and expects our love, we are therefore to love him
also in return and not let him long for it in vain. One is the
same as the other ; as Christ helps us so we in return help our
neighbor, and all have enough.
146 luthi:r's church postiu
32. Observe now from this how far those have gone out
of the way who have united good works with stone, wood,
clothing, eating and drinking. Of what benefit is it to your
neighbor if you build a church entirely out of gold? Of what
benefit to him is the frequent ringing of great church bells?
Of what benefit to him is the glitter and the ceremonies in the
churches, the priests' gowns, the sanctuary, the silver piciures
and vessels ? Of what benefit to him are the many candles and
much incense. Of what benefit to him is the much chanting and
mumbling, the sJnging of vigils and masses? Do you think
that God will permit himself to be paid with the sound of bells,
the smoke of candles, the glitter of gold and such fancies ? He
has commanded none of these, but if you see your neighbor
going astray, sinning, or suffering in body or soul, you are to
leave every thing else and at once help him in every way in
your power and if you can do no more, help him with words of
comfort and prayer. Thus has Christ done to you and given
you an example for you to follow.
33. These are the two things in which a Christian is to
exercise himself, the one that he draws Christ into himself, and
that by faith he makes him his own, appropriates to himself the
treasures of Christ and confidently builds upon them ; the other
that he condescends to his neighbor and lets him share in that
which he has received, even as he shares in the treasures of
Christ. He who does not exercise himself in these two things
will receive no benefit even if he should fast unto death, suffer
torture or even give his body to be burned, and were able to
do all miracles, as St. Paul teaches, 1 Cor. 13ff.
B. The spiritual meaning of the doctrine of this Gospel,
34. The other mystery, or spiritual teaching, is, that in the
churches the Gospel only should be preached and nothing more.
Now it is evident that the Gospel teaches nothing but the fore-
going two things, Christ and his example and two kinds of
good works, the one belonging to Christ by which we are saved
through faith, the other belonging to us by which our neighbor
receives help. Whosoever therefore teaches any thing different
CHRISTMAS DAY. 147
from the Gospel leads people astray ; and whosoever does not
teach the Gospel in these two parts, leads people al} the more
astray and is worse than the former who teaches without the
Gospel, because he abuses and corrupts God's Word, as St.
Paul complains concerning some. 2 Cor. 2:17.
35. Now it is clear that nature could not have discovered
such a doctrine, nor could all the ingenuity, reason and wis lorn,
of the world have thought it out. Who would be able to dis-
cover by means of his own efforts, that faith in Christ makes
us one with Christ and gives us for our own all that is Christ's ?
Who would be able to discover that no works are of any value
except those intended to benefit our neighbor ? Nature teaches
no more than that which is wrought by the law. Therefore it
falls back upon its own work, so that this one thinks he fulfills
the commandment by founding some institution or order, that
one by fasting, this one by the kind of clothes he wears, that one
by going on pilgrimages ; this one in this manner, that one in
that manner ; and yet all their works are worthless, for no one is
helped by them. Such is the case at the present time in which
the whole world is blinded and is going astray through the
doctrines and works of men, so that faith and love along with
the Gospel have perished.
36. Therefore the Gospel properly apprehended, is a super-
natural sermon and light which makes known Christ only. This
is pointed out first of all by the fact that it was not a man that
made it known to others, but that an angel came down from
heaven and made known to the shepherds the birth of Jesus,
while no human being knew any thing about it.
37. In the second place it is pointed out by the fact that
Christ was born at midnight, by which he indicates that all the
world is in darkness as to its future and that Christ can not
be known by mere reason, but that knowledge corcerning him
must be revealed from heaven.
38. In the third place, it is sha\vn by the light that shined
around the shepherds, which teaches that here there must be an
entirely different light than that of human reason. Moreover,
when St. Luke says, Gloria Dei, the glory of God, shone around
them, he calls that light a brightness, or the glory of God. Why
148 Luther's church postil.
does he say that ? In order to call attention to the mystery and
reveal the character of the Gospel. For while the Gospel is a
heavenly light that teaches nothing more than Christ, in whom
God's grace is given to us and all human merit is entirely cast
aside, it exalts only the glory of God, so that henceforth no one
may be able to boast of his own power ; but must give God the
glory, that it is of his love and goodness alone that we are saved
through Christ.
See, the divine honor, the divine glory, is the light in the
Gospel, which shines around us from heaven through the apos-
tles and their followers who preach the Gospel. The angel here
was in the place of all the preachers of the Gospel, and the
shepherds in the place of all the hearers, as we shall see. For
this reason the Gospel can tolerate no other teaching besides
its own; for the teaching of men is earthly light and human
glory; it exalt the honor and praise of men, and makes souls
to glory in their own works ; while the Gospel glories in Christ,
in God's grace and goodness, and teaches us to boast of and
confide in Christ.
39. In the fourth place this is represented by the name
Judea and Bethlehem, where Christ chose to be born. Judea
is interpreted, confession or thanksgiving ; as when we confess,
praise and thank God, acknowledging that all we possess are
his gifts. One who so confesses and praises is called Judaeus.
Such a king of the Jews is Christ, as the expression is : "J^^us
Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum," Jesus the Nazarene, the king of
the Jews, of those confessing God. By this is shown that no
teaching whatever can make such a confession except the Gos-
pel, which teaches Christ.
40. Beth means house ; Lehem means bread, Bethlehem, a
house of bread. The city had that name because it was situated
in a good, fruitful country, rich in grain ;so that it was the gran-
ery for the neighl^oring towns, or as we would call it, a fertile
country. In olden times the name of the city was Ephrata,
which means fruitful. Both names imply that the city was in a
fruitful and rich land. By this is represented that without the
Gospel this earth is a wilderness and there is no confession of
God nor thanksgiving.
CHRISTMAS DAY. 149
41. Moreover where Christ and the Gospel are there is the
fruitful Bethlehem and the thankful Judea. There every one
has enough in Christ, and overflows with thanksgiving for the
divine grace. But while men are thankful for human teachings,
they can not satisfy, but leave a barren land and deadly hunger.
No heart can ever be satisfied unless it hears Christ rightly pro-
claimed in the Gospel. In this a man comes to Bethlehem and
finds him, he also comes to and remains in Judea and thanks
his God eternally; here he is satisfied, here God receives his
praise and confession, while outside of the Gospel there is no-
thing but thank lessness and starvation.
42. But the angel shows most clearly that nothing is to be
preached in Christendom except the Gospel, he takes upon him-
self the office of a preacher of the Gospel. He does not say, I
preach to you, but "glad tidings I bring to you". I am an
Evangelist and my word Ts an evangel, good news. The mean-
ing of the word Gospel is, a good, joyful message, that is
preached in the New Testament. Of what does the Gospel
testify? Listen! the angel says: "I bring you glad tidings of
great joy", my Gospel speaks of great joy. Where is it? Hear
again: "For there is born to you this day in the city of David
a Saviour, who is Chri'st the Lord".
43. Behold here what the Gospel is, namely, a joyful sermon
concerning Christ, our Saviour. Whoever preaches him right-
ly, preaches the Gospel of pure joy. How is it possible for man
to hear of greater joy than that Christ has given to him as
his own ? He does not only say Christ is born, but he makes his
birth our own by saying, to you a Saviour.
44. Therefore the Gospel does not only teach the history
concerning Christ; but it enables all who believe it to receive
it as their own, which is the way the Gospel operates, as has
just been set forth. Of what benefit would it be to me if Christ
had been born a thousand times, and it would daily be sung
into my ears hi a most lovely manner, if I were never to hear
that he was born for me and was to be my very own? If the
voice gives forth this pleasant sound, even if it be in homely
phrase, my heart listens with joy for it is a lovely sound which
penetrates the soul. If now there were any thing else to be
150 Luther's church posth..
preached, the evangehcal angel and the angelic evangelist
would certainly have touched upon it.
C. The Spiritual Meaning of the Signs, the Angel and the
Shepherds.
45. The angel says further : "And this is the sign unto you ;
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying
in a manger." The clothes are nothing else than the holy
Scriptures, in which the Christian truth lies wrapped, in which
the faith is described. For the Old Testament contains noth-
ing else than Christ as he is preached in the Gospel. There-
fore we see how the apostles appeal to the testimony of the
Scriptures and with them prove every thing that is to be
preached and believed concerning Christ. Thus St. Paul says,
Rom. 3:21, That the faith of Christ through which we be-
come righteous is witnessed by the law and the prophets. And
Christ himself, after his resurrection, opened to them the
Scriptures, which speak of him. Luke 24, 27.
When he was transfigured on the mount, Math. 17, 3,
Moses and Elijah stood by him; that means, the law and the
prophets as his two witnesses, which are signs pointing to him.
Therefore the angel says, the sign by which he is recognized
is the swaddling clothes, for there is no other testimony on
earth concerning Christian truth than the holy Scriptures.
46. According to this Christ's seamless coat which was not
divided and which during his sufferings was gambled off and
given away, John 19, 23-24, represents the New Testament.
It indicates that the pope, the Antichrist, would not deny the
Gospel, but would shut it up violently and play with it by means
of false interpretation, until Christ is no longer to be found in
it. Then the four soldiers who crucified the' Lord are figures
of all the bishops and teachers in the four quarters of the earth,
who violently suppress the Gospel and destroy Christ and his
faith by means of their human teachings, as the pope with his
Papists has long since done.
47. From this we see that the law and the prophets can not
be rightly preached and known unless we see Christ wrapped
up in them. It is to-ue that Christ does not seem to be in them,
nor do the Jews find him there. They appear to be insignificant
CHRISTMAS DAY. 151
and unimportant clothes, simple words, which seem to speak of
unimportant external matters, the import of which is not recog-
nized; but the New Testament, the Gospel, must open it,
throw its light upon it and reveal it, as has been said.
48. First of all then the Gospel must be heard, and the
appearance and the voice of the angel must be believed. Had
the shepherds not heard from the angel that Christ lay there,
they might have seen him ten thousand tJmes without ever
knowing that the child was Christ. Accordingly St. Paul says,
2 Cor. 3, 16, that the law remains dark and covered up for the
Jews until they are converted to Christ.
Christ must first be heard in the Gospel, then it will be seen
how beautiful and lovely the whole Old Testament is in har-
mony with him, so that a man can not help giving himself in
submission to faith and be enabled to recognize the truth of
what Christ says in John 5 : 46, "For if ye believed Moses, ye
would believe me, for he wrote of me".
49. Therefore let us beware of all teaching that does not
set forth Christ. What more would you know ? What more do
you need, if indeed you know Christ, as above set forth, if you
walk by faith Jn God, and by love to your neighbor, doing to
your fellow man as Christ has done to you. This is indeed the
whole Scripture in its briefest form, that no more words or
books are necessary, but only life and action.
50. He lies in the manger. Notice here that nothing but
Christ is to be preached throughout the whole world. What
is the manger but the congregations of Chrrstians in the church-
es to hear the preaching? We are the beasts before this man-
ger ; and Christ is laid before us upon whom we are to feed our
souls. Whosoever goes to hear the preaching, goes to this
manger ; but it must be the preaching of Christ. Not all man-
gers have Christ neither do all sermons teach the true faith.
There was but one manger in Bethlehem in which this treas-
ure lay, and besides it was an empty and despised manger in
which there was no fodder.
Therefore the preaching of the Gospel is divorced from all
other things, it has and teaches nothing besides Christ ; should
any thing else be taught, then it is no more the manger of
j55 Luther's church rosTn..
Christ, but the manger of war horses full of temporal things
and of fodder for the body. ,
51. But in order to show that Christ in swaddling clothes
r-epresents the faith in the Old Testaments, we will here give
several examples. We read in Math. 8, 4, when Christ cleansed
the leper, that he said to him : "Go, show thyself to the priest,
and ofifer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto
them." Here you perceive that the law of Moses was given to
the Jews for a testimony, or sign, as the angel also here says,
namely, that such law represents something diflferent from it-
self. What? Christ is the priest, all men are spiritual lepers
because of unbelief; but when we come to faith in him he
touches us with his hand, gives and lays upon us his merit and
we become clean and whole without any merit on our part what-
ever. We are therefore to show our gratitude to him and ac-
knowledge that we have not become pious by our own works,
but through his grace, then our course will be right before God.
In addition we are to ofifer our gifts, that is, give of our own
to help our fellow man, to do good to him as Christ has done
to us. Thus Christ is served and an offering is brought to the
rightful priest, for it is done for his sake, in order to love and
praise him.
Do you here see how, figuratively speaking, Christ and the
faith are wrapped up in the plain Scriptures ? It is here made
evident how Moses in the law gave only testimony and an in-
terpretation of Christ. The whole Old Testament should be
understood in this manner, and should be taken to be the swadd-
ling clothes as a sign pointing out and making Christ known.
52. Again, it was commanded that the Sabbath should be
strictly observed and no work should be done, which shows
that not our works but Christ's works should dwell in us ; for
it is written that we are not saved by our works but by the
works of Christ. Now these works of Christ are twofold, as
shown before. On the one hand, those that Christ has done per-
sonally without us, which are the most important and in which
we believe. The others, those he performs in us, in our love to
our neighbor. The first may be called the evening works and
the second the morning works, so that evening and morning
CHRISTMAS DAY. 153
make one day, as it is written in Gen. 1, 5, for the Scriptures
begin the day in the evening and end in the morning, that is, the
evening with the night is the first half, the morning with the
day is the second half of the whole natural day. Now as the
first half is dark and the second half is light, so the first works
of Christ are concealed in our faith, but the others, the works
of love, are to appear, to be openly shown toward our fellow
man. Here then you see how the whole Sabbath is observed
and hallowed.
55. Do you see how beautifully Christ lies in these swadd-
ling clothes? How beautifully the Old Testament reveals the
faith and love of Christ and of his Christians? Now, swadd-
ling clothes a4-e ars a rule of two kinds, the outside of coarse
woolen cloth, the inner of linen. The outer or coarse woolen
cloth represents the testimony of the law, but the linnen are the
words of the prophets. As Isaiah says in 7, 14, "Behold, a
virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel", and similar passages which would not be under-
stood of Christ, had the Gospel not revealed it and shown that
Christ is in them.
54. Here then we have these two, the faith and the Gospel,
that these and nothing else are to be preached throughout
Christendom. Let us now see who are to be the preachers and
who the learners. The preachers are to be angels, that is,
God's messengers, who are to lead a heavenly life, are to be
constantly engaged with God's Word that they under no circ-
umstances preach the doctrine of men. It is a most incongruous
thing to be God's messenger and not to further God's mes-
sage. Angelus means a messenger, and Luke Calls him God's
messenger (Angelus Domini). The message also is of more
importance than the messenger's life. If he leads a wicked life
he only injures himself, but if he brings a false message in the
place of God's message, he leads astray and injures every one
that hears him, and causes idolatry among the people in that
they accept lies for the truth, honor men instead of God, ana
pray to the devil instead of to God.
55. There is no more terrible plague, misfortune or cause
for distress upon earth than a preacher who does not preach
154 luthkr's church postii..
God's Word ; of whom, alas, the world today is full ; and yet
they think they are pious and do good when indeed their
whole work is nothing but murdering souls, blaspheming God
and setting up idolatry, so that it would be much better for
them if they were robbers, murderers, and the worst scoun-
drels, for then they would know that they are doing wickedly.
But now they go along under spiritual names and show, as
priest, bishop, pope, and are at the same time ravening wolves
in sheeps' clothing, and it would be well if no one ever heard
their preaching.
56. The learners are shepherds, poor people out in the
fields. Here Jesus does what he says, Math. 11,5, "And the
poor have good tidings preached to them", and Math. 5, 3,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit; for their's is the kingdom of
heaven". Here are no learned, no rich, no mighty ones, for
such people do not as a rule accept the Gospel. The Gospel is
a heavenly treasure, which will not tolerate any other treasure,
and will not agree with any earthly guest in the heart.
Therefore whoever loves the one must let go the other, as
Christ says. Math. 6, 24 : " You can not serve God and mam-
mon."
This is shown by the shepherds in that they were in the field,
under the canopy of heaven, and not in houses, showing that
they do not hold fast and cling to temporal things; and be-
sides they are in the fields by night, despised by and unknown
to the world which sleeps in the night, and by day delights so
to walk that it may be noticed ; but the poor shepherds go about
their work at night. They represent all the lowly who live on
earth, often despised and unnoticed but dwell only under the
protection of heaven; they eagerly desire the Gospel.
57. That there were shepherds, means that no one is to
hear the Gospel for himself alone, but every one is to tell it
to others who are not acquainted with it. For he who believes
for himself has enough and should endeavor to bring others to
such faith and knowledge, so that one may be a shepherd
of the other, to wait upon and lead him into the pasture of the
Gospel in this world, during the night time of this earthly life.
At first the shepherds were sore afraid because of the angel ;
CHRISTMAS DAY. 155
for human nature is shocked when it first hears in the Gospel
that all our works are nothing and are condemned before God,
for it does not easily give up its prejudices and presumptions.
58. Now let every one examine himself in the light of the
Gospel and see how far he is from Christ, what is the character
of his faith and love. There are many who are enkindled with
dreamy devotion, when they hear of such poverty of Christ,
are almost angry with the citizens of Bethlehem, denounce
their blindness and ingratitude, and think, if they had been
there, they would have shown the Lord and his mother a more
becoming service, and would not have permitted them to be
treated so miserably. But they do not look by their side to see
how many of their fellow men need their help, and which they
let go on in their misery unaided. Who is there upon earth
that has no poor, miserable, sick, erring ones, or sinful
people around him? Why does he not exercise his love to
those? Why does he not do to them as Christ has done to
him?
59. It is altogether false to think that you have done much
for Christ, if you do nothing for those needy ones. Had you
been at Bethlehem you would have paid as little attention to
Christ as they did ; but since is is now made known who Christ
is, you profess to serve him. Should he come now and lay him-
self in a manger, and would send you word that it was he, of
whom you now know so much, you might do something for
him, but you would not have done it before. Had it been
positively made known to the rich man in the Gospel, to what
high position Lazarus would be exalted, and he would have
been convinced of the fact, he would not have left him lie and
perish as he did.
60. Therefore, if your neighbor were now what he shall be
in the future, and lay before you, you would surely give him
attention. But now, since it is not so, you beat the air and do
not recognize the Lord in your neighbor, you do not do to him
as he has done to you. Therefore God permits you to be
blinded, and deceived by the pope and false preachers, so that
^ you squander on wood, stone, paper, and wax that with which
you might help your fellow man.
150 Luther's church postil.
III. EXPLANATION OF THE ANGELS' SONG
OF PRAISE.
6L Finally we must also treat of the angels' song,
which we use daily in our service: Gloria in exceleis Deo.
There are three things to be considered in this song, the» glory
to God, the peace to the earth, and the good will to mankind.
The good will might be understood as the divine good»will God
has toward men through Christ. But we will admit* it- to mean
the good will which is granted unto men through this birth, as
it is set forth in the words thus, "en anthropis eudokia, homini-
bus beneplacitum."
62. The first is the glory to God. Thus we should alsobegin^
so that in all things the praise and glory be given to God as
the one who does, gives and possesses all things, that no one
ascribe any thing to liimseL or claim any merit for himself.
For the glory belongs to no one but to God alone, it does not
permit of being made common by being shared by any person.
63. Adam stole the glory through the evil spirit and appro-
priated it to himself, so that all men with him have come into
disgrace, which evil is so deeply rooted in all mankind that
there is no vice in them as great as vanity. Every one is well
pleased with himself and no one wants to be nothing, and they
desire nothing, which spirit of vanity is the cause of all distress,
strife and war upon earth.
64. Christ has again brought back the glory to God, in that
he has taught us how all we have or can do is nothing but
wrath and displeasure before God, so that we may not be boast-
ful and selfsatisfied, but rather be filled with fear and shame,
so that in this manner our glory and self-satisfaction may be
crushed, and we be glad to be rid of it, in order that we may
be found and preserved in Christ.
65. The second is the peace on earth. For just as strife
must exist where God's glory is not found, as Solomon says,
Prov. 13,10, "By pride cometh only contention;" so also,
vvhere God's glory is there must be peace. Why should they
quarrel when they know that nothing is their own, but that all
they are, have and can desire is from God; they leave every
CHRISTMAS DAY. 157
thing in his hands and are content that they have such a grac-
ious God. He knows that all he may have, is nothing before
God, he does not seek his own honor, but thinks of him who is
something before God, namely Christ.
66. From this it follows that where there are true Christi-
ans, there is no strife, contention, or discord ; as Isaiah says in
2, 4, "And they shall beat their swords into plowshears, and
their spears into pruning hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more !"
67. Therefore our Lord Christ is called a king of peace,
and is represented by king Solomon, whose name implies, rich
in peace, that inwardly he may give us peace in our conscience
toward God through faith ; and outwardly, that we may exer-
cise love to our fellow men, so that through him there may be
everywhere peace on earth.
68. The third is good zvili toward men. By good will is not
meant the will that does good works, but the good will and
peace of heart, which is equally submissive in every thing that
may betide, be it good or evil. The angels knew very well that
the peace, of which they sang, does not extend farther than to
the Christians who truly believe, such have certainly peace
among themselves. But the world and the devil have no re-
proof, they do not permit them to have peace but persecute
them to death ; as Christ says, John 16, 38, "In me ye may have
peace. In the world ye have tribulation."
69. Hence it was not enough for the angels to sing peace
on earth, they added to it the good will toward men, that they
take pleasure in all that God does, regard all God's dealing
with them as wise and good, and praise and thank him for it.
They do not murmur, but willingly submit to God's will. More-
over since they know that God, whom they have received by
faith in Christ as a gracious Father, can do all things, they
exult and rejoice even under persecution as St. Paul says, Rom
5, 3, "We also rejoice in our tribulations." They regard all
that happens to them as for the best, out of the abundant satis-
faction they have in Christ.
70. Behold, it is such a good will, pleasure, good opinion
in all things whether good or evil, that the angels wish to ex-
158 luthe:r's church postil.
press in their song ; for where there is no good will, peace will
not long exist. The unbelieving put the worst construction on
every thing, always magnify the evil and double every mishap.
Therefore God's dealings with them does not please them, they
would have it different, and that which is written in Psalm
18, 25-26 is fulfilled : "With the merciful thou wilt show thyself
merciful, with the perfect man thou wilt show thyself per-
fect; with the pure thou wilt show thyself pure", that is,
whoever has snch pleasure in all things which thou doest, Itt
him thou, and all thine, will also have pleasure," and with the
perverse thou wilt show thyself fro ward, that is, as thou and
all thou doest, does not please him, so he is not well pleasing
to thee and all that are thine.
71. Concerning the good will St. Paul says: 1 Cor. 10, 33,
''Even as I also please all men in all things." How does he
do that? If you are content and satisfied with every thing,
you will in turn please every body. It is a short rule : If you
will please no one, be pleased with no one; if you will please
every one, be pleased with every one ; in so far, however, that
you do not violate God's Word, for in that case all pleasing
and displeasing ceases. But what may be omitted without
doing violence to God's Word, may be omitted, that you
may please every one and at the same time be faithful to God,
then you have this good will of which the angels sing.
72. From this song we may learn what kmd of creatures
the angels are. Don't consider what the great masters of art
dream about them, here they are all painted in such a manner
that their heart and their own thoughts may be recogmzed. In
the first place, in that they joyfully sing, ascribing the glory
to God, they show how full of his light and fire they are, not
praising themselves, but recognizing that all things belong to
God alone, so that with great earnestness they ascribe the glory
to him to whom it belongs. Therefore if you would think of
a humble, pure, obedient and joyful heart, praising God, think
of the angels. This is their first step, that by which they serve
God.
73. The second is their love to us as has been shown. Here
you see what great and gracious friends we have in them, that
CHRISTMAS DAY. 159
they favor us no less than themselves; rejoice hi our welfare
quite as much as they do in their own, so much so that in this
song they give us a most comforting inducement to regard them
as the best of friends. In this way you rightly understand the
angels, not according to their being, which the masters of art
attempt fearlessly to portray, but according to their inner heart,
spirit and sense, that though I know not what they are, I know
what their chief desire and constant work is ; by this you look
into their heart. This is enough concerning this Gospel. What
is meant by Mary, Joseph, Nazareth will be explained in Luke 1.
The Armor of this Gospel.
74. In this Gospel is the foundation of the article of our
faith when we say : "I believe in Jesus Christ, born of the vir-
gin Mary." Although the same article is founded on different
passages of Scripture, yet on none so clearly as on this one. St.
Mark says no more than that Christ has a mother, the same is
also the case with St. John, neither saying any thing of his
birth. St. Matthew says he is born of Mary in Bethlehem, but
lets it remain at that, without gloriously proclaiming the vir-
ginity of Mary, as we will hear in due time. But Luke de-
scribes it clearly and diligently.
75. In olden times it was also proclaimed by patriarchs and
prophets ; as when God says to Abraham, Gen. 22, 17 : "And in
thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Again he
says to David, Ps. 89,4, and 132, 11: "Jehovah hath sworn
unto David in truth ; he will not return from it ; of the fruit of
thy body will I set upon thy throne." But those are obscure
words compared w^ith the Gospel.
76. Again it is also represented in many figures, as in the
rod of Aaron which budded in a supernatural manner, although
a dry piece of wood. Num. 7, 5. So also Mary, exempt from
all natural generation, brought forth, in a supernatural manner,
really and truly a natural son, just as the rod bore natural al-
monds, and still remained a natural rod. Again by Gideon's
fleece. Judges 6, 37, which was wet by the dew of heaven, while
the land around it remained dry, and many like figures which
it is not necessary to enumerate. Nor do these figures con-
160 luthkr's church postil.
flict with faith, they rather adorn it; for it must at first be
firmly believed before I can believe that the figure serves to
illustrate it.
77. There is a great deal in this article, of which, in time
of temptation, we would not be deprived, for the evil spirit
attacks nothing so severely as our faith. Therefore it is of
the greatest importance for us to kno\v where in God's Word
this faith is set forth, and in time of temptation point to that,
for the evil spirit can not stand against God's Word.
78. There are also many ethical teachings in the Gospel, as
for example, meekness, patience, poverty and the like ; but
these are touched upon enough and are not points of contro-
versy, for they are fruits of faith and good works.
SECOND CHRISTMAS DAY. 161
SECOND CHRISTMAS DAY.
(Or Early Christmas Service).
This sermon appears in the Erl. Ed. lo, i6i; W. 11,198;
St. L. II, 144.
Text : Luke 2, 15-20. And it came to pass, when the angels
went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to
another, Let us now go ^ven unto Bethlehem, and see this thing
that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph,
and the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they
made known concerning thj saying, which was spoken to them
about this child. And all that heard it wondered at the things
which were spoken unto them by the shepherds. But Mary
kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. And the
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that they had heard and seen, even a^ it was spoken'
unto them.
CONTENTS: THE FRUITS AND SIGNS OF THE POWER
OF THE WORD OF GOD.
• The substance of this Gospel. 1. 1. It has no command and needs
I. The First Fruit and Sign of the no taskmaster. 14.
Power of the Word are Faith. 2. It has been abolished by the
1. By what means we may identi- pope and his followers. 15.
fy this fruit. 2. V. The Fifth Fruit and Sign are
2. An objection caused by this Joy. 16-17.
fruit and sign, and its ans- VI. The Sixth Fruit and Sign are
wer. 3-5. Action and Work. IS.
3. How and why this fruit tri- VII. The Seventh Fruit and Sign
umphs in life and death. 6. are Confession. 19-20.
4. How this fruit and sign of the VIII. The Eighth Fruit and Sign
power of the Word of God are Christian Liberty. 21-22.
may be observed in Mary IX, The Nintli Fruit and Sign are
and the shepherds. 7-8. Praise and Thanksgiving to
IL The Second Fruit and Sign of God. 23.
the Word are the Unity of * The nature of a truly Christian
the Spirit. 9-10. life. 24.
III. The Third Fruit and Sign are * The spiritual interpretation of
Humility. ' this Gospel. 25-28.
1. The nature of this fruit. 11. * The harm the pope and his fol-
2. The results of this fruit. 12. lowers have done to the
IV. The Fourth Fruit and Sign Church. 29.
are the Despising of Self. 13f. • The conclusion of the interpre-
• Of Love. tation of this Gospel. 30.
1. In the light of the exposition of the preceding Gospel
this text is easily understood for it cites an example and the
162 LUTHER S CHURCH POSTIL.
putting into practice of the doctrine taught there, in that the
shepherds did, and found, all just as the angels had told them.
Consequently it teaches what the results and fruit of the Word
of God are, and what the marks are, by which we know
whether the Word of God is established in our hearts and
whether it is doing its work there.
I. THE FRUITS AND SIGNS OF THE POWER OF
THE WORD OF GOD.
2. The Urst and principal fruit of the power of the Word is
faith. For had not these shepherds believed the angel they
would never have gone to Bethlehem, they would moreover
never have done one of the things related of them in this
Gospel.
3. One, however, might say: Yes, I would also gladly
believe if an angel thus from heaven were to preach to me.
This is very foreign to the subject. Whoever does not receive
the Word for its own sake, will never receive it for the sake
of the preacher, even if all the angels preached it to him. And
he who receives it because of the preacher does not believt
in the Word, neither in God through the Word, but he believes
the preacher and in the preacher. Hence the faith of such
persons does not last long. But whoever believes the Word,
does not care who the person is that speaks the Word, and
neither will he honor the \Vord for the sake of the person;
but on the contrary, he honors the person because of the Word,
and always subordinates the person to the Word. And if the
preacher perishes, or even falls from his faith and preaches
differently, he will forsake the person of the preacher rather
than the W^ord of God. He abides by what he has heard,
although the person of the preacher may be what he will, and
come and go as he may.
4. The true difference between godly faith and human
faith consists also in this, that human faith cleaves to the per-
son of the preacher, believes, trusts and honors the Word for
the sake of him who spake it. But godly faith, on the other
hand, cleaves to the Word, which is God himself ; he believes,
trusts and honors the Word, not because of him who preaches
SDCOND CHRISTMAS DAY. 163
it; but because he feels it so surely the truth that no one can
ever turn him again from it, even if the same preacher were
to try to do it. This was proved by the Samaritans, John 4, 42,
when they had heard first of Christ from the heathen woman
and upon her word they went out of the city to Christ. After
they themselves heard Christ, they said to the woman, "Now
we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard
for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the
world."
5. Moreover, all who believed Christ because of his person
and his miracles, fell from their faith when he was crucified-
So it is in our day and so has it always been. The Word itself,
without any regard to persons, must be enough for the heart,
it must include and lay hold of man, so that he, as if takeü
captive, feels how true and right it is, even if the world, all
the angels, all the princes of hell said differently, yea, if God
himself spake otherwise; as he at times tempts his ov/n
elect and appears as if he were different than he had before
declared. So it was with Abraham when commanded to offer
his son Isaac ; with Jacob, while wrestling with the angel ;
and with David, when persecuted by his son Absalom; and
other like examples.
6. This faith triumphs in life and death, in hell and heaven,
and nothing is able to overthrow it; because it rests upon
nothing but the Word without any regard whatever to persons.
7. These shepherds possessed such faith; for they agree
with and cleave to the Word so fully that they forget the
angels Vvdio declared it to them. They do not say. Let us go
and see the word that the angels made known to us, but the
word that the Lord hath made known unto us. The angels
were soon forgotten and the \Vord of God only seized and
retained. In like manner St. Luke speaks in the text of IMary,
that she kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
Without doubt she did not let the humble appearance of the
shepherds trouble her, but esteemed all as the Wor^l of God.
Not only Mary, but all the others who heard these words from
the shepherds, and wondered, as the text says. All clung to the
Word.
164 luther's church postil.
8. And although it is the idiom of the Hebrew language
that when it speaks of an historic fact, it says, "they wish to see
the word", as St. Luke says here (because the history is em-
bodied in words and is made known by means of words) ; so
is it therefore thus provided by God that faith should be ex-
pressed as that which cleaves to the words and relies upon the
words spoken concerning the history. For if Christ's life and
sufferings were not embodied in the words by which faith is
anchored, they would have been of no use, because all who saw
them with their eyes received no benefit from them, or very
little.
9. The second fruit is the unity in the spirit. For it is the
nature of Christian faith to unite hearts into one, that they be
of one mind and of one will, as Psalm 68, 6 says : "God, the
Lord, Christ our God, setteth the solitary in families." St.
Paul speaks of the imity of the Spirit in many places as in
Rom. 12, 18; 1 Cor. 12,4; and Eph. 4, 3, vv^here he says: "Be
ever diligent that ye be of one mind, of one will." Such
unity is not possible apart from faith, for every one is well
pleased with his own ways, therefore is the land, as the pro-
verb runs, full of fools. Here one sees in his own experiences
how the various orders, callings, and sects are divided among
themselves. Every one esteems his order, his calling, his char-
acter, his work, his plans the best, and the right road to heaven.
He disparages the things of others and rejects them; as we
see at present among the priests, monks, bishops and all who
profess to be spiritual.
10. However those, who have the true faith, know that
it depends only upon faith, in which they unanimously agree.
Therefore they are never divided and disunited because of
any outward calling, conduct or work. To them all external
matters, however different they may be, are the same. Thus
the shepherds here are of one mind, of one will, speak the
same thought among themselves, use the same form of words
and say : "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem", etc.
11. The third fruit is humility, in that they acknowledge
themselves to be human. Therefore the Evangelist adds "The
the shepherds", etc. For faith immediately teaches that every-
SKCOND CHRISTMAS DAY. 165
thing human is nothing before God. Hence they despise self
and think nothing of themselves. This is true, fundamental
humility and self knowledge! Humility then brings with it
that it does not inquire about things great and high in the
world. They consider themselves a humble poor and despised
people, as St. Paul teaches in Rom. 12, 16, when he says: "Set
not your mind on high things, but condescend to them'that are
lowly". As Psalm 15,4 also teaches: "In the eyes of the
righteous the reprobate is despised,, but he honoreth them that
fear Jehovah."
12. Out of all this follows peace. For he who esteems
nothing of all the external and great things, easily lets them
pass and never quarrels with any one about them. He experi-
ences something better inwardly in the faith of his heart.
Unity, peace, and humility are also found among murderers,
public sinners, even among hypocrites. It is however a unity
of the flesh and not of the spirit; as Pilate and Herod
became reconciled to one another and exercised a peaceful
and humble spirit toward each other. Likewise the Jews, ac-
cording to Ps. 2, 2 : "The Kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together." In like manner are,
the pope, monks and priests one when they contend against
God, who at other times are nothing but mere sects among
themselves. Hence this is called an unity, humility and peace
of the spirit, in that it is above and in spiritual things, that is,
in Christ.
13. The fourth is love to your neighbor and a renounc-
ing of self. The example of the shepherds proves this in that
they leave their sheep and go forth, not to the great and high
lords in Jerusalem, not to the aldermen in Bethlehem, but to
the little company in the stable. They present themselves to
the lowly and do whatever is required of them. Had they not
had faith they would not have thus left their sheep ; and they
woud not have abandoned their work, had not the angels before
command them to do so. They did it of their own free will and
of their own counsel, as the text teaches. They conferred with
one another about it and came with haste, and the angels did
not command them, but only pointed out what they would find,
166 Luther's church postil.
and left it to their own free will, whether they would go
and seek.
14. Love acts in like manner. It knows no command, it
does everything by virtue of its own impulse, it hastens and
delays not, it is enough that its attention is only called to a
thing, it needs no taskmaster, neither wäll it tolerate one. Oh,
much might be said on this thought ! So should the Christian
live more freely in love, forget self and the things of self, only
think and hasten to his neighbor, as St. Paul In Phil. 2, 4
says: "Not looking each of you to his ov/n things, but each
of you also to the things of others." And Gal. 6, 2 : ''Rear
ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
15. However, the pope and his bishops and priests have
filled the world with laws and constraint, and there is nothing
now in the whole world but mere driving and alarming. No
voluntary order or calling exists any longer, since it has been
proclaimed that love should be extinguished and the world
be ruined by human doctrines.
- 16. The fifth is joy. This appears in the words that we
gladly speak and hear about the things faith in the heart has
received. So here the shepherds converse w^th one another
joyously and kindly about that which they had heard and
believed. They use very many words, as if they were talking
to no purpose. They are not satisfied by saying: Let us go
unto Bethlehem and see the saying that has come to pass ;
they add, which the Lord did and hath made known unto us.
Is it not unnecessary talk that they say: What has come to
pass there, that God has done? Could they not have easily
spoken in fewer words thus: Let us see the saying, God has
done there.
17. But the spirit's joy bubbles over with cheery words,
and still none are useless, yea, all is too little, and the soul
can not pour forth itself as it gladly would desire, like Ps.
45, 1 says : "My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter," as if
he were to say, I would gladly tell it forth, but I cannot ; it is
greater than I can express, so that my speaking is hardly a
hiccough. Hence the saying in Ps. 51,17 and other places:
"My tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness," that is,
SECOND CHRISTMAS DAY. 167
proclaim, sing and speak it forth with rejoicing and jumping.
And Ps. 119, 171 : ''Let my lips utter praise", like a boiling
pot wells and bubbles forth.
18. The sixth fruit: they follow with acts. For it is as
St. Paul says in 1. Cor. 4,20: "For the Kingdom of God is
not in word, but in power." Thus here the shepherds do not
only say. Let us go and see, but they also went, yea, they do
more than they say. For the text says, "They came in haste,"
that is more than merely going, as they agreed to do. so faith
and love always do more than they promise, and their affairs
are alive, intertwined, active, bubbling over. So a Christian
should be a man of few words and of many deeds, as he will
surely be, if he is a true Christian. If he is not such a man
then he is not yet a real Christian.
19. The seventh fruit is, they freely confess and publicly
preach the Word that was spoken to them concerning this
child, which is the highest work in the Christian life. In this
we are to risk our body and life, our wealth and honor. Foi
to believe right and live a good life quietly and with yourself
is not attacking the wicked spirit very hard ; but when we go
forth and publish the same abroad, confess, preach and praise
for the sake of the welfare of others ; that he will not permit.
Therefore Luke adds here that the shepherds did not only
come and see, but they also preached about this child what
they heard in the field, not only before Mary and Joseph, but
before everybody.
20. Do you not think there were many who thought they
were fools and insane people, in that they attempted, as coarse
and unschooled laymen, to speak of the angels' song and ser-
mon? But the shepherds, full of faith and joy cheerfully be-
came fools in the eyes of men for God's sake. A Christian
also does the same. For God's Word must be considered as
foolishness and falsehood in this world.
21. The eighth fruit is Christian liberty. This is bound
by no work, but all works are alike to a Christian as they come
to his notice. For these shepherds run to no desert, put on
no hood, never shave their heads, never change clothing, time,
food, drink nor any external work, they return again to their
168 luthkr's church postii..
sheep cots and there serve their God. For a Christian char-
acter consists not in outward conduct,' neither does it change
any one as to his outward calHng or position, but as to his
inner state, that is, he possesses another heart, another mind,
will and impulse that does even the work, which any per-
son without such a mind and will does. For a Christian knows
that all depends entirely upon faith ; therefore he goes, stands,
eats, drinks, clothes himself, works and lives as an ordinary
man in his calling, so that one can not see his Christianity ; as
Christ says in Luke 17, 20-21 : ''The Kingdom of God cometh
not with observation ; neither shall they say, Lo, here ! or, there !
for lo the kingdom of God is within you."
22. Against this liberty t-he pope and his spiritual offices
contend with their laws and chosen dress, food, prayers, sa-
cred places and persons ; they take themselves and every per-
son captive by their soul snares with which they filled the
world, as St. Anthony saw in a dream.
For they thought it depended upon our nature and works
that we are saved. They call other people worldly, although
they themselves are seven fold more worldly, since all their
affairs are the doings of man, concerning which God has com-
manded nothing.
23. The nmfh and last fruit of the Word is praising and
thanking. For we are not able to give God any work or service
for all the kindness and grace he bestows upon us, except
praise and thanks which also spring from the heart, and do
not need many organs, bells, and loud voices. Faith truly
teaches such praise and thanks as are here related of the shep-
herds, in that they returned to their flocks glorifying and
praising God. They are indeed contented, although they have
not become wealthier, although they are not more highly hon-
ored, although they do not eat and drink better, and are not
obliged to do their daily duties better.
24. See, in this Gospel you have a picture of a true Christ-
tian life, first according to its outward character, so that it
glitters outwardly not at all, or very little in the eyes of the
people, yea, is falsehood and the work of fools in the eyes of
most people ; but inwardly it is nothing but light, joy and sal*
SKCOND CHRISTMAS DAY. 16*3
vation. Hence we see what the apostle means, when in GaT.
5, 22 he relates the fruits of the Spirit and says : *'The fruits
of the Spirit," that is, the works of faith," are love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-
control ;" here there is no mention of persons, seasons, food,
clothing, places or like chosen works of human device as we
see swarming in the life of the Papists.
II. THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THIS
GOSPEL.
25. But what it is to find Christ in such poverty, and what
his swaddling clothes and manger signify, are explained in
the previous Gospel ; that his poverty teaches how we should
find him in our neighbors, the lowliest and the most needy ; and
his swaddling clothes are the holy Scriptures; that in actual
life we should incline to the needy; and in our studies and
contemplative life only to the Scriptures ; in order that Christ
alone may become the man of both lives and that he may every-
where stand before us. We should shun the books of Aris-
totle, of the pope, and of all men, or read them in a way that
we do not seek the edification of the soul in them ; but with
them make use of the time and this life, as one teaches a trade
or civil law. However it is not in vain that St. Luke places
Mary before Joseph, and both of them before the child and
says: ''And they found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe
lying in the manger."
26. Now we said before, Mary is the Christian church,
Joseph, the servants of the church, as the bishops and pastors
should be if they preach the Gospel. Here the church is pre-
ferred before the prelates of the church, as Christ also says
in Luke 22, 26 : ''He that is the greater among you, let him
become as the younger," although that is now reversed ; it is
also no wonder, since they rejected the Gospel and exalted the
prattle of men. The Christian church retains now all the words
of God in her heart and ponders them, compares them with one
another and with the Scriptures. Therefore he who would
find Christ must first find the Church. How should we know
where Christ and his faith were, if we did not know where his
110 I,UTH^R*S CHURCH POSTlIv.
believers are? And he who would know anything of Christ
must not trust himself nor build a bridge to heaven by his
own reason ; but he must go to the Church, attend and ask her.
27. Now the Church is not wood and stone, but the com-
pany of believing people ; one must hold to them, and see how
they believe, live and teach ; they surely have Christ in their
midst. For outside of the Christian church there is no truth,
no Christ, no salvation.
28. From this it follows that It is unsafe and false that the
pope or a bishop wishes to have himself alone believed, and
that he poses as a master; for they all err and are Inclined to
err. But their teaching should be subject to the congregation
of believers. The congregation should decide and judge what
they teach ; their judgment should stand, in order that Mary
may be found before Joseph, the church be preferred to the
preachers. For it was not Joseph but Mary who retains the
words in her heart, ponders them, gathers them together and
compares them. The apostle also taught this in 1. Cor. 14,
29-30 when he says : "And let not the prophets speak by two
or three, and let the others discern. But if a revelation be
made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence."
29. But at present the pope and his followers have become
tyrants, have reversed this Christian, godly and apostolic order,
established an entirely heathen and Pythagorian order of things,
that they may say, lulaffen and alfenzen, that is, they talk
silly about whatever they wish. No one criticises them, no one
will oppose them, no one tells them to be quiet. And In this
way they have quenched the Spirit so that among them one
finds neither Mary, nor Joseph nor Christ; nothing but the
rats, mice, vipers and serpents of their poisonous doctrines
and hypocrisy.
30. This is not a Gospel of strife; for it teaches Christian
morals and works, It does not clearly and publicly establish
the different articles of faith. Although in its spiritual teach-
ings, (mysteriis), as has been shown, it is strong enough; but
the spiritual teachings (mysteria) do not strive and contend.
There must be clear, public passages that plainly publish the
articles of our faith.
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 171
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY.
{Or The Principal Christmas Service).
This sermon appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,172; W. 11,211;
St. L. 11,154-
Text : John i, 1-14. In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same
was in the beginning with God. All things were made through
him; and zvithout him was not anything made that hath been
made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness appre-
hended it not. There came a man, sent from God, whose
name was John. The same came for witness, that he might
bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.
He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of
the light. There was the true light, even the light which
lighteth every man, coming into the world. He zuas in the
world, and the world was made through him, and the world
knew him not. He came unto his ozvn, and they that were his
own received him not. But as many as received him, to them
gave he the right to become children of God, even to them
that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us {and zve
beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the
father, full of grace and truth.
CONTENTS: CHRIST'S TITLES OF HONOR AND ATTRI-
BUTES; CHRIST'S COMING; HIS BECOMING MAN;
AND THE REVELATION OF HIS GLORY.
I. CHRISTS TITLES OP HONOR These Titles and Attributes
AND HIS ATTRIBUTES. of Christ. 3f.
• This Gospel is The most im- 1. How we are to conclude from
portant of all. 1. this that Christ is no mere
* The New Testament is founded creature. 4.
upon the Old Testament and 2. That he is eternal. 5.
is a revelation of it. 2. 3. That he is a distinct person
T. CHRIST'S FIRST TITLE AND from the person of the Fath-
ATTRIBUTE: he IS THE er. 6.
WORD. 4. That there are two persons,
A. Upon What John Founds but only one God. 7-8.
172
LUTHER S CHURCH POSTIL.
5. How the Arians soug-ht to up-
root this foundation, 9.
* What he is to do, who de-
sires to proceed safely in
searching the holy Scrip-
tures. 10.
6. How this foundation is the
real mine from which all,
that is written on the divini-
ty of Christ in the New Tes-
tament, is taken. 11.
* Of the Divinity of the Holy
Ghost. 12.
B. This Title of Honor and At-
tribute, To Which Belong:
1. That Christ is called "The
Word". 12-16.
* An opinion on the discussion
the learned have about the
inner word of the heart. 17.
2. That Christ is called "The
Word that was in the begin-
nig." 18-20.
3. That Christ is called "The
Word that was with God."
21.
* Of the heresies of Sabellius
and Arius. 22.
4. That Christ is called "The
Word that was God himself."
a. The sense and understand-
ing of this. 23.
b. How the heresies of Sabel-
lius and Arius were over-
thrown by this. 24-25.
* In matters of faith one
should hold firmly to the
Scriptures and not listen
to reason. 26-27.
5. That Christ is called "The
Word, through whom all
things -were made." 28-31.
II. CHRIST'S SECOND TITLE OP
HONOR AND ATTRIBUTE:
IN HIM WAS LIFE.
1. The false exposition some gi\-e
of this attribute and title of
honor, and the objections to
it. 31-34.
* What moved John to write
his Gospel. 35-36.
2. The true sense and under-
standing of this title. 37-38.
* The natural life is a part of
and the beginning of the
eternal life. 39.
3. An objection that is raised by
this title and attribute, and
its answer. 40-42.
IIL CHRIST'S THIRD TITLE OP
HONOR AND ATTRIBUTE:
HE WAS CALLED "THE
LIGHT", that is:
A. The Light of Men.
1. The false exposition of this
by some, refuted. 43f.
2. Its true sense and under-
standing. 44.
3 An opinion on the exposition
by Augustine. 45-46.
* The light of nature and the
the light of grace.
a. The light of nature is cor-
rupted. 47-49.
b. The light of nature con-
tends against the light of
grace. 50f.
c. The light of nature is the
root of all heresy and
hypocrisy. 51-52.
4. John does not here speak of
the natural, but of the divine
light. 53.
5. How it shines forth here,
that man has no other light
but Christ 54-56.
* How there is life in Christ
that is to be obtained
through faith. 56-58.
B. The Light That Shineth In
The Darkness.
1. What we are to think of the
false interpretation some
give of this.
a. The false interpretation. 59.
b. An opinion on this false in-
terpretation. 60-63.
2. Its true sense and under-
standing. 63-65.
* Heretics and the lost world
cannot grasp divine truth.
66-67.
* The substance of the Gospel
according to St. John. 68.
C. The Light, Of Which John
Bore Witness.
1. The reason for this. 69, 70f.
* Why St. John is so difficult
to understand in the begin-
ning of his gospel. 71-72.
2. How it becomes clear here,
that the spoken w^ord should
preach only Christ. 73.
* By means of the Gospel the
divine Word Is brought to
us. 74.
3. How all human teaching is
here overthrown. 75.
4. How it becomes clear from
this that Christ is true God
and true man. 76.
* Of the Gospel and reason.
77-79.
5. How and why the Evangelist
repeats this.
a. The first reason is to show
this Light is God. 80.
b. The second reason is to re-
strain false preachers. 81.
6. How we are to make use of
this point against those who
preach man's doctrine. 82f.
* Whoever does not preach the
Gospel is to be rejected. 83.
* Tlie cause of complaint
against the abomination of
the doctrines of men. 84.
D. The Light Which Lighteth
Every One.
1. This is not to be understood
of natural light. 85.
2. An opinion on the exposition
Augustine gives on this
point.
a. Exposition by Augustine. 86.
b. The opinion.
3. The true sense and under-
standing of this. 87-90.
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY.
173
4. Who does and does not un-
derstand it. 91.
5. How this thought, aside from
that given before, permits
still another sense and
meaning. 92-93.
II. THE COMING OF CHRIST;
HIS BECOMING MAN; AND
THE REVELATION OF HIS
GLORY.
I. The Coming Of Christ.
1. What is to be understood by
his coming. 94-95.
2. How John is called the fore-
runner of the coming of
Christ. 95-96.
3. What is meant by he came
unto his own. 97.
4. How Christ's divinity is set
forth in his coming. 9S.
* It is a great disgrace that
the world does not receive
its Creator. 99.
5. The glorious work effected
by Christ's coming.
a. The nature of this work.
10 Of.
* Good works canot change a
person, faith in Christ must
do that. 101-103.
b. The nature of persons, in
whom this work of Christ
finds expression. 104-109.
* Concerning the new birth.
1. How the new birth takes
place. 109.
2. How it is fully proved in
time of temptaion and
death. 110.
3. The fruits and evidence
of the new birth. 111-112.
4. This birth is not the work
of human reason and pow-
er, but the work of God.
113-114.
II. Christ's Becoming Man.
1. The nature, meaning and un-
derstanding of this. 115.
2. How Christ's incarnation suf-
fered many things from
heretics. 116f.
* Of the holy Scriptures and
Antichrist.
a. How the holy Scriptures
are completely suppressed
by Antichrist. 117-118.
b. That Antichrist is worse
than any heretic. 118-121.
c. How and why we should
cleave to the holy Scrip-
tures and to Christ. 122.
* Christ must first come to us
in his grace, if we are to
be saved. 123.
3. How this teaching is to be
considered important, which
faith alone grasps. 124.
4. Whether Christ's incarnation
is contrary to reason. 125.
5. Whether reason can grasp it.
125-126.
* Concerning reason; also con-
cernig the true God.
a. Reason points out presump-
tuous things in tlie works of
God. 126-127.
b. Reason can do nothing but
work apostacy. 128-129.
C. Those who place their fancy
and arrogance above God
and his Word, have not the
true God. 130-132.
d. Real believers do not mis-
take the true God. 131.
e. What is the surest evidence
that anything is from God.
132.
6. How is it to be understood
when the Evangelist here
says, Christ dwellt among
us. 133-134.
HI. The Revelation Of Christ's
Glory.
1. The right meaning and un-
derstanding of this. 135.
2. How this teaches that Christ
is true God. 136.
3. The persons who have and
have not part in this glory.
137.
* The meaning of the -words,
"Grace and Truth." 138.
* How and why natural light
can never begin the work it
would have done. 139.
* The conclusion of the expo-
sition of this Gospel. 140.
CHRISrS TITLES OF HONOR AND HIS
ATTRIBUTES.
1. This is the most important of all the Gospels of the
church year, and yet it is not, as some think, obscure or dif-
ficult. For upon it is clearly founded the important article of
faith concerning the divinity of Christ, with which all Chris-
tians ought to be acquainted, and which they are able to under-
stand. Nothing is too great for faith. Therefore let us con-
sider this Gospel lesson in the simplest manner possible, and
not as the scholastics did with their fabricated subtleties, con-
174 i^uther's church postil.
ceal Its doctrine from the common people and frighten them
away from it. There is no need of many fine and sharp dis-
tinctions, but only of a plain, simple explanation of the words
of the text.
2. In the first place, we should know that all that the apos-
tles taught and wrote, they took out of the Old Testament;
for in it all things are proclaimed that were to be fulfilled
later in Christ, and were to be preached, as Paul says in Rom.
1,2: "God promised afore the Gospel of his son Jesus Chrisi
through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures." Therefore ail
their preaching is based upon the Old Testament, and there
is not a word in the New Testament that does not look back
into the Old, where it had been foretold.
Thus we have seen in the Epistle how the divinity of Christ
is confirmed by the Apostle from passages in the Old Testa-
ment. For the New Testament is nothing more than a revela-
tion of the Old. Just as one receives a sealed letter which is
not to be opened until after the writer's death, so the Old
Testament is the will and testament of Christ, which he has
had opened after his death and read and everywhere pro-
claimed through the Gospel, as it is declared in Rev. 5, 5, where
the Lamb of God alone is able to open the book with the seven
seals, which no one else could open, neither in heaven, nor on
earth, nor under the earth.
I. CHRIST'S FIRST TITLE OF HONOR AND AT-
TRIBUTE: HE IS THE WORD.
3. That this Gospel may be clearer and more easily under-
stood, we must go back to the passages In the Old Testament
upon which it is founded, namely, the beginning of the first
chapter of Genesis. There we read. Gen. 1, 1-3 : "In the begin-
ning God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth
was waste and void ; and darkness was upon the face of the
deep; and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters. And God said, Let there be light, and there was
light," etc. Moses continues how all things were created in
like manner as the light, namely, by speaking or the Word of
God. Thus : "And God said. Let there be a firmament." And
again: "God said. Let there be sun, moon, stars," etc.
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 175
4. From these words of "Moses it Is clearly proved that God
has a Word, through which or by means of which he spoke,
before anything was created; and this Word does not and
cannot be anything that was created, since all things were
created through this divine utterance, as the text of Moses
clearly and forcibly expresses it, v.hen it says : "God said,
Let there be light, and there was light." The Word must
therefore have preceded the light, since light came by the
Word; consequently it was also before all other creatures,
which also came by the Word, as ]\Ioses writes.
5. But let us go farther. If the Word preceded all crea-
tures, and all creatures came by the Word and were created
through it, the A\^ord must be a different being than a creature,
and was not made or created like a creature. It must there-
fore be eternal and without beginning. For when all things
began it was already there, and cannot be confined in time
nor in creation, but is above time and creation; yea, time and
creation are made and have their beginning through it. Thus
it follows that whatever is not temporal must be eternal ; and
that which has no beginning cannot be temporal; and that
which is not a creature must be God. For besides God and his
creatures there is nothing. Hence we learn from this text of
^Moses, that the Word of God, which was in the beginning
and through which all things were made and spoken, must be
God eternal and not a creature.
6. Again, the Word and he that speaks it, are not one per-
son ; for it is not possible that the speaker is himself the Word.
What sort of speaker would he be who is himself the Word?
He must needs be a mute, or the word must needs sound of
itself without the speaker. But Scripture here speaks in strong
and lucid words : "God said." And thus God and His Word
must be two distinct things.
If Moses had written : "There was an utterance," it would
not be so evident that there were two, the Word and the
Speaker. But when he says: "God said," and names the
speaker and his word, he forcibly states that there are tw^o;
that the speaker is not the word, and the word is not the
speaker^ but that the word comes from the speaker, and has
176 Luther's church postil.
its existence not of itself but from the speaker. But the
speaker does not come from the word, nor does he have his
existence from it, but from himself. Thus, the words of
Moses point conclusively to the fact that there are two persons
in the Godhead from eternity, before all creatures, that the
one has its existence from the other, and' the. first has its
existence from nothing but itself.
7. Again, the Scriptures firmly and everlastingly maintain
that there is only one God, as Moses begins, saying: "In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth." And
Deut. 6, 4, "Hear, O Israel ; Jehovah our God is one God."
Thus the Scriptures proceed in simple, comprehensible words,
and teach such exalted things so plainly that every one may
well understand them, and so forcibly that no one can gainsay
them. Who is there that cannot here understand from these
words of Moses, that there must be two persons in the God-
head, and yet but one God, unless he wishes to deny the plain
Scriptures ?
8. Again, who is there so subtle as to be able to contra-
dict this doctrine? He must distinguish or keep apart the
Word from God, the speaker ; and he must confess that it was
before all creatures, and that the creatures were made by it.
Consequently he must surely admit it to be God, for besides
the creatures there is is nothing but God ; he must also admit
that there is only one God. Thus the Scriptures forcibly con-
clude that these two persons are one perfect God, and that
each one is the only true, real, and perfect God, who has cre-
ated all things; that the Speaker has his being not from the
Word, but that the Word has its being from the Speaker,
vet he has his being eternally and from eternity, and outside
of all creation.
9. The Arian heretics intended to draw a mist over this
clear passage and to bore a hole into heaven, since they could
not surmount it, and said that this Word of God was indeed
God, not by nature, however, but by creation. They said that
all things were created by it, but it had also been created pre-
viously, and after that all things were created by it. This
they said from their own imagination without any authority
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 177
from the Scriptures, because they left the simple words of
the Scriptures and followed their own fancies.
10. Therefore I have said that he who desires to proceed
safely on firm ground, must have no regard for the many
subtle and hair-splitting words and fancies, but must cling to
the simple, powerful, and explicit words of Scripture, and he
will be secure. We shall also see how St. John anticipated
these same heretics and refuted them in their subterfuges and
fabrications.
11. Therefore we have here in the Books of Moses the
real gold mine, from which everything that is written in the
New Testament concerning the divinity of Christ has been
taken. Here you may see from what source the gospel of St.
John is taken, and upon what it is founded; and therefore it
is easy to understand.
This is the source of the passage in Ps. 83, 6 : "By the
Word of Jehovah the heavens were made." Solomon in beau-
tiful words describes the wisdom of God, Prov. 3, 22, saying
that this wisdom had been in God before all things; and he
takes his thoughts from this chapter of !Moses. So almost all
the prophets have worked in this mine and have dug their
treasures from it.
12. But there are other passages by this same Moses con-
cerning the Holy Ghost, as for example in Gen. 1,22 : "And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters/' Thus the
Spirit of God must also be something different from hi'm who
breathes him into existence, sends him forth, and yet he must be
before all creatures.
Again, Moses says in Gen. 1, 28-31 : "God blessed the crea-
tures, beheld them, and was pleased with them." This bene-
diction and favorable contemplation of the creatures point to
the Holy Ghost, since the Scriptures attribute to him life and
mercy. But these passages are not so well developed as those
which refer to the Son ; consequently they are not so promi-
nent. The ore is still halfway in the mines, so that these
passages can easily be believed, if reason is so far in subjec-
tion as to believe that there are two persons. If anyone will
take the time and trouble to compare the passages of the New
178
Testament referring to the Holy Ghost with this text of
Moses, he will find much light, as well as pleasure.
13. Now we must open wide our hearts and understanding,
so as to look upon these words not as the insignificant, perish-
able words of man, but think of them as being as great as he
is who speaks them. It is a Word which he speaks of himself,
which remains in him, and is never separated from him.
Therefore according to the thought of the Apostle, we
must consider how God speaks with himself and to himself,
and how the Word proceeds from within himself. However,
this Word is not an empty sound, but brings with it the whole
essence of the divine nature. Reference has been made in the
Epistle to the brightness of his glory and the image of his
person, which constitute the divine nature, so that It accom-
panies the image in its entirety and thus becomes the very
image itself. In the same manner God of himself also utters
his Word, so that the whole Godhead accompanies the Word
and in its nature remains in, and essentially is, the Word.
14. Behold, here we see whence the Apostle has taken his
language, when he calls Christ an image of the divine essence,
and the brightness of divine glory. He takes it from this text
of Moses, Vv'hen he says that God spoke the Word of himself ;
this can be nothing else than an image that represents him,
since every word is a sign which means something. But here
the thing signified is by its very nature in the sign or in the
Word, which is not in any other sign. Therefore he very
properly calls it a real image or sign of his nature.
15. The word of man may also in this connection be used
in a measure as an illustration; for by it the human heart is
known. Thus we commonly say: I understand his heart or
intentions, when we have only heard his words ; as out of the
fullness of the heart the mouth speaks, and from the word the
heart is known, as though it were in the word. In conse-
quence of this experience the heathen had a saying: Qualis
quisque est talia loquitur. (As a man speaks, so is he).
Again: Oratio est character animi (Speech is an image of the
heart). When the heart is pure it utters pure words, when
it is impure it utters impure words. With this also corre-
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 179
spends the gospel of Mathew, 12, 31, where Christ says: "Out
of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." And
again: "How can ye, being evil, speak good things?" Also
John the Baptist says, John 3, 31 : "He that is of the earth
is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh." The Germans
also have a proverb : "Of what the heart is full, overfloweth
out of the mouth." The bird is known by its song, for it sings
according to its nature. Therefore all the world knows that
nothing represents the condition of the heart so perfectly and
so positively as the words of the mouth, just as though the
heart were in the word.
16. Thus it is also with God. His word is so much like
himself, that the Godhead is wholly in it, and he who has the
word has the whole Godhead. But this comparison has its
limits. For the human word does not carry with it the essence
or the nature of the heart, but simply its meaning, or is a sign
of the heart, just as a woodcut or a bronze tablet does not
carry with it the human being, but simply represents it. But
here in God, the Word does not only carry with it the sign
and picture, but the whole being, and is as full of God as he
whose word or picture it is. If the human word were pure
heart, or the intention of the heart, the comparison would be
perfect. But this cannot be; consequently the Word of God
is above every word, and without comparison among all crea-
tures.
17 There have indeed been sharp discussions about the
inner word in the heart of man, which remains within, since
man has been created in the image of God. But it is all so
deep and mysterious, and will ever remain so, that it is not
possible to understand it. Therefore we shall pass on, and
we come» now to our Gospel, which is in itself clear and mani-
fest.
. "In the beginning was the Word."
18. What beginning does the Evangelist mean except the
one of which Moses says : "In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth?" That was the beginning and origin
of creation. Other than this there was no beginning, for God
had no beginning, but is eternal. It follows, therefore, that
180 Luther's church postii..
the Word is also eternal, because It did not have its origin in
the beginning, but it was already in the beginning, John says.
It did not begin, but when other things began it was already
in existence ; and its existence did not begin when all things
began, but it was then already present.
19. How prudently the Evangelist speaks; for he does not
say: "In the beginning the Word zvas made," but it was
there," and was not made. The origin of its existence is dif-
ferent from the beginning of creation. Furthermore he says :
''In the beginning." Had he been made before the world, as
the Arians maintain, he would not have been in the beginning,
but he would have himself been the beginning. But John
firmly and clearly maintains: "In the beginning was the
Word," and he was not the beginning. Whence has St. John
these words? From Moses, Gen. 1,3 "God said, Let there
be light." From this text evidently come the words: "In the
beginning was the Word." For if God spoke, there had to be
a Word. And if he spoke it in the beginning, when the cre-
ation began, it was already in the beginning, and did not begin
with the creation.
20. But why does he not say: Before the beginning was
the Word? This would have made the matter clearer, as it
would seem ; thus St. Paul often says : Before the creation of
the world, etc. The answer is, because, to be in the begin-
ning, and to be before, the beginning, are the same, and one is
the consequence of the other. St. John, as an Evangelist,
wished to agree with the writings of Moses, wished to open
them up, and to disclose the source of his own words, which
would not have been the case had he said : "Before" the be-
ginning. Moses says nothing of that which was before the
beginning, but describes the Word in the beginning, in order
that he can the better describe the creation, which was made by
the Word. For the same reason he also calls him a word,
when he might as well have ^called him a light, life or some-
thing else, as is done later ; for Moses speaks of a word. Now
not to begin and to be in the beginning are the same as to be
before the beginning.
But If the Word had been in the beginning and not before
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 181
the beginning, it must have begun to be before the beginning,
and so the beginning would have been before the beginning,
which would be a contradiction, and w^ould be the same as
though the beginning were not the beginning. Therefore it is
put in a masterly way: In the beginning zvas the Word, so
as to show that it has not begtm, and consequently must neces-
sarily have been eternal, before the beginning.
''And the Word zms with God."
21. Where else should it have been? There never was
anything outside of God. Moses says the same thing when he
writes : "God said, Let there be light." Whenever God speaks
the word must be with him. But here he clearly distinguishes
the persons, so that the Word is a different person than God
with whom it was. This passage of John does not allow the
interpretation that God had been alone, because it says that
something had been with God, namely, the Word. If he had
been alone, why would he need to say: The Word was with
God? To have something with him, is not to be alone or by
himself.
It should not be forgotten that the Evangelist strongly
emphasizes the little w^ord ''with." For he repeats it, and
clearly expresses the difference in persons to gainsay natural
reason and future heretics. For while natural reason can un-
derstand that there is but one God, and many passages of Scrip-
ture substantiate it, and this is also true, yet the Scriptures
also strongly oppose the idea that this same God is only one
person.
22. Thus arose the heresy of Sabellius, who said: The
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are only one person. And again
Arius, although he admitted that the Word was with God,
would not admit that he was true God. The former confesses
,and teaches too great a simplicity of God; the latter too great
a multiplicity. The former mingles the persons; the latter
separates the natures. But the true Christian faith takes the
mean, teaches and confesses separate persons and an undi-
vided nature. The Father is a different person from the Son,
but he is not another God. Natural reason can not compre-
hend this: it must be apprehended bv faith alone. Natural
182 i.uthe:r's church postii..
reason produces error and heresy ; faith teaches and maintains
the truth ; for it cHngs to the Scriptures, which do not deceive
nor lie.
"And God was the Word."
23. Since there is but one God, it must be true that God
himself is the Word, which was in the beginning before all
creation. Some change the order of the w^ords and read:
And the Word zvas God, in order to explain that this Word
not only is with God and is a different person, but that it is
also in its essence the one true God with the Father. But we
shall leave the words in the order in which they now stand:
And God 7i'as the Word; and this is also what it means; there
is no other God than the one only God, and this same God
must also essentially be the Word, of which the Evangelist
speaks ; so there is nothing in the divine nature which is not
in the Word. It is clearly stated that this Word is truly God,
so that it is not only true that the Word is God, but also that
God is the Word.
24. Decidedly as this passage opposes Arius, who teaches
that the Word is not God, so strongly it appears to favor
Sabellius ; for it speaks as though it mingled the persons, and
thereby revokes or explains away the former passage, which
separates the persons and says : The Word was with God.
But the Evangelist intentionally arranged his words so as
to refute all heretics. Here therefore he overthrows Arius and
attributes to the \\^ord the true essential of the Godhead by
saying: And God zuas the Word; as though he would say: I
do not simply say, the W^ord is God, which might be under-
stood as though the Godhead was only asserted of him, and
were not essentially his, as you, Arius, claim ; but I say : And
God zvas the Word, which can be understood in no other way
than that this same being which every one calls God and re-
gards as such, is the Word.
Again, that Sabellius and reason may not think that I side
with them, and mingle the persons, and revoke what I have
said on this point, I repeat it and say again :
"The same zvas in the beginning zvith God.''
25. The Word was zvith God, with God, and yet God was
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 183
the Word. Thus the EvangeHst contends that both assertions
are true: God is the Word, and the Word is with God; one
nature of divine essence, and yet not one person only. Each
person is God complete and entire, in the beginning and eter-
nally. These are the passages upon which our faith is founded
and to which we must hold fast. For it is entirely above rea-
son that there should be three persons and each one perfect
and true God, and yet not three Gods but one God.
26. The Scholastics have argued much pro and con with
their numerous subtleties, to make this doctrine comprehensi-
ble. But if you do not wish to become entangled in the meshes
of the enemy, ignore their cunning, arrogance, and subtleties,
and hold to these divine words. Press into them and remain
in them, like a hare in a rocky crevice. If you come out and
deign to listen to human talk, the enemy will lead you on and
overcome you, so that you will at last not know where reason,
faith, God, or even yourself are.
27. Believe me, as one who has experienced and tried it,
and who does not talk into an empty barrel; the Scriptures
are not given us for naught. If reason could have kept. on the
right road, the Scriptures would not have been given us.
Take an example in the case of Arius and Sabellius. Had
they clung to the Scriptures and disregarded reason, they
would not have originated so much trouble in the church.
And our Scholastics might have been Christians, had they
ceased fooling with their subtleties and had clung to the Scrip-
tures.
''All things zvere made through him."
28. Has this not been put clearly enough? Who would
be surprised, if stubborn men reject every effort to convince
them of their error, however plainly and earnestly the truth
may be told them, when the Arians could evade this clear and
explicit passage and say: All things are made by the Word,
but the Word was itself first made, and afterwards all things
were made by it ? And this In opposition to the direct words :
"All things were made through him." And there is no doubt
that he was not made and cannot be counted among the things
that were made. For he who mentions all things excludes
184 tUTH^R'S CHURCH POSTII..
nothing, as St. Paul also explains Psalm 8, 6, when he says,
in Heb. 2,8: "Thou didst put all things in subjection under
his feet. For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left
nothing that is not subjected to him." Again, 1 Cor. 15, 27 :
*'For he put all things in subjection under his feet. It is
evident that he is expected who did subject all things unto
him."
So also the words, ''All things were made through him"
must certainly be understood to except him by whom all things
were made, and without whom is nothing that is made. This
passage is also based upon the first chapter of Genesis, 1*, 7,
where all created things are mentioned which God had made,
and in each case it is said : "And God said, and it was so," in
order to show that they were all made by the Word. But St.
John 'continues and explains himself still more fully when he
says:
''And without him was not anything made that hath been
made,"
29. If nothing was made without him, much less is he
himself made without whom nothing was made; accordingly
the error of Arius should never have attracted any attention,
and yet it did. There Is no need of comment to explain that
the Word is God and the real Creator of all created things,
since without him nothing was made that ever was made.
30. Some have been in doubt about the order of the words
in this text; the words "that was made", they take with the
following words, in this way : "That which was made, was in
him life." Of this opinion was St. Augustine. But the words
properly belong to the preceding words as I have given them,
thus: "And without him was not anything made that hath
been made." He means to say that none of the things that art
made, are made without him ; so that he may the more clearly
express that all things were made through him, and that he
himself was not made. In short, the Evangelist firmly main-
tains that the Word is true God, yet not of himself, but of the
Father. Therefore we say : Made through him, and Begotten
of the Father.
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 185
II. CHRIST'S SECOND TITLE AND ATTRIBUTE: IN
HHI WAS LIFE.
31. On this passage there is generally much speculation,
and it is often taken to mean something hard to understand
in reference to the twofold existence of creation; in this the
Platonic philosophers are famous. They maintain that all
creation has its being first in its own nature and kind, as it
was created. Secondly, all creation has its being in divine
Providence from eternity, in that he has resolved in himself
to create all things. Therefore as he lives so all things are
living in him; and this creative existence in God, they say, is
nobler than the existence in its own kind and nature. For in
God things do live which in themselves have no life, as stones,
earth, water, and the like.
And therefore Saint Augustine says that this Word is an
image of all creation, and like a bed-chamber is hung with
images which are called Ideas (Greek for images), according
to which the created things were made, each one according to
its own image. Concerning these John is to have said: "In
him was life." Then they connect these words with the pre-
ceding ones, thus : That which was made was life in him, that
is, all that was ever created, before it was created, had had its
life in him.
32. But this is going too far and is a forced interpreta-
tion of this passage. For John speaks very simply and plainly,
and does not mean to lead us into such hair-splitting, subtle
contemplations. I do not know that the Scriptures anywhere
speak of created beings in this way. They do say that all
things were known, elected, and even ready and living in the
sight of God, as though creation had already taken place, as
Christ says of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Luke 20, 38 :
*'He (God) is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for
all live unto him." But we do not find it written in this sense
that all things live in him.
33. This passage also implies something more than the life
of the creature, which was in him before the world. It signi-
fies in the simplest manner that he is the fountain and cause
of life, that all things which live, live by him and through
186 Luther's church posTil.
him and in him, and besides him there is no hfe, as he himseii
says in John 14, 6 : "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
Again, John 11,25: "I am the resurrection and the life."
Consequently John calls him in 1 John 1, 1. "The Word of
Life ;" and he speaks especially of the life which man receives
by him, that is, eternal life ; and it was for this very life that
John set out to write his Gospel.
34. This is also apparent from the context. For he him-
self explains the life of which he speaks, when he says : "And
the life was the light of men." By these words he undoubted-
ly shows that he speaks of the life and the light Christ gives
to man through himself. For this reason also he refers to
John the Baptist as a witness of that light. It is therefore evi-
dent how John the Baptist preached Christ, not in lofty terms
of speculation, as some fable ; but he taught in a plain, simple
way how Christ is the light and the life of all men for their
salvation.
35. Therefore it is well to remember that John wrote his
Gospel, as the historians tell us, because Cerinthus, the heretic,
arose in his day and taught that Christ did not exist before his
mother Mary, thus making a simple human being or creatur*.
of him. In opposition to this heretic he begfins his Gospel in
an exalted tone and continues thus to the end, so that in almost
every letter he preaches the divinity of Christ, which is done
by none of the other Evangelists. And so he also purposely
introduces Christ as acting strangely towards his mother, and
"Woman, what have I to do with thee ?" he s-aid to her in John
2, 4. Was not this a strange, harsh expression for a son to use in
addressing his mother ? So also on the cross he said : "Woman,
behold thy son,"' John 19, 26. All this he does in order to set
forth Christ as true God over against Cerinthus; and this he
does in language so as not only to meet Cerinthus, but also
Arius, Sabellius and all other heretics.
36. We read also that this same pious John saw Cerinthus
in a bathing-house and said to his followers: "Let us flee
quickly hence that we be not destroyed with this man." And
after John had come out, the bathing-house is said to have
collapsed and destroyed this enemy of the truth. He thus
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 187
points and directs all his words against the error of Cerinthus,
and says : Christ was not only before his mother, nay, he was
in the beginning the Word of which Moses writes in the very
beginning, and all things were made by him, and he was with
God and the Word was God, and was in the beginning with
God; and thus he strikes Cerinthus as with thunderbolts.
37. Thus we take the meaning of the Evangelist in this
passage to be simply and plainly this : He who does not recog-
nize and believe Christ to be true God, as I have so far
described him, that he was the Word in the beginning with
God, and that all things were made by him; but wishes to
make him only a creature of time, coming after his mother, as
Cerinthus teaches, is eternally lost, and cannot attain to eternal
life; for there is no life without this Word and Son of God;
in him alone is life. The man Christ, separate from, and
without, God, w^ould be useless, as he says himself in John 6,
55, 63 : ''The flesh profiteth nothing. My flesh is meat indeed,
and my blood is drink indeed."
Why does the flesh profit nothing, and yet my flesh is the
only true meat? The plain reason is, because I am not mere
flesh and simply man, but I am God's son. My flesh is meat
not because it is flesh, but because it is my flesh. This is -as
much as to say: He who believes that I, who am man, and
have flesh and blood like other men, am the Son of God, and
God, finds in me true nourishment, and wall live. But he who
believes me to be only man, is not profited by the flesh, for to
him it is not my flesh or God's flesh.
He also says : "Ye shall die in your sins, except ye believe
that I am he," John 8, 24. Again : "If the son shall therefore
make you free, ye shall be free indeed." This is also the
meaning of the follow^ing passage, "In him was life." The
Word of God in the beginnmg, who is himself God, miust be
our life, meat, light, and salvation. Therefore we cannot at-
tribute to Christ's human nature the power of making us
alive, but the life is in the Word, which dwells in the flesh and
makes us alive by the flesh.
38. This interpretation is simple and helpful. Thus St.
Paul IS wont to call the doctrine of the Gospel "doctrina pie-
188 Luther's church postil.
tatis," a doctrine of piety — a doctrine that makes men rich in
grace. However, the other interpretation which the heathen
also have, namely^ that all creatures live in God, does indeed
make subtle disputants and is obscure and difficult; but it
teaches nothing about grace, nor does it make men rich in
grace. Wherefore the Scriptures speak of it as "idle."
Just as we interpret the words of Christ, when he says : "I
am the life," so also should we interpret these words, and say
nothing philosophically of the life of the creatures in God;
but on the contrary, w^e should consider how God lives in us,
and makes us-partakers of his life, so that we live through him,
of him, and in him. For it ;can not be denied that through
him natural life also exists, which even unbelievers have from
him, as St. Paul says : "In him we live, and move, and have
our being; for we are also his offspring." Acts 17,28.
39. Yes, natural life is a part of eternal life, its beginning,
but on account of death it has an end, because it does not
acknowledge and honor him from whom it comes ; sin cuts it
off so that it must die forever. On the other hand, those who
believe in him^ and acknowledge him from whom they have
«their being, shall never die ; but this natural life of theirs will
be extended into eternal life, so that they will never taste
death, as John says, 8,51: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, if
a man keep my word, he shall never see death." And again,
John 11,25: "He that believeth on me, though he die, yet
shall he live." These and similar passages are well under-
stood when we rightly learn to know Christ, how he has slain
death and has brought us life.
40. But when the Evangelist says : "In him was life," and
not, "In him is life," as though he spoke of things past, the
words must not be taken to mean the time before creation, or
the time of the beginning; for he does not say: "In the be-
ginning life was in him," as he has just before said of the
Word, which was in the beginning with God ; but these words
must be referred to the time of Christ's life or sojourn upon
earth, when the Word of God appeared to men and among
men; for the Evangelist proposes to write about Christ and
that life in which he accomplished all things necessary for our
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 189
life. Just as he says of John the Baptist : "There came a man,
sent from God ;" and again : "He was not the U'ght, etc. ;"
even so he afterward speaks of the Word: "And the Word
became flesh, and dwelt among us;" "He was in the world;"
"He came unto his own, and they that w^ere his own received
him not," etc. In the same manner does Christ also speak of
John the Baptist : ""He was the lamp that burneth and shineth,"
John 5, 35.
41. So he says also here: "In him was life;" and Christ
says of himself : "When I am in the world, I am the light of
the world," John 9, 5. The words of the Evangelist therefore
simply refer to the sojourn of Christ on earth. For as I said
at first, this Gospel is not as difficult as some think; it has
been made difficult by their looking for great, mysterious, and
mighty things in it. The Evangelist has written it for ordi-
nary Christians, and has made his words perfectly intelligible.
For whoever will disregard the life and sojourn of Christ upon
earth, and will wish to find him in some other way, as he now
sits in heaven, will always fail. He must look for him as he
was and as he sojourned while upon earth, and he will then
find life. Here Christ was made our life, light and salvation ;
here all things occurred that we are to believe concerning him.
It has really been said in a most befitting manner: "In Ivui
v/as life," not, that he is not our life now, but that he does
not now do that which he then did.
42. That this is the meaning can be seen from the words
of the text when it says : "John the Baptist came for witness,
that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe
through him." It is sufficiently clear that John came solely
to bear witness of Christ, and yet he has said nothing at all
of the life of the creatures in God supporting the above philo-
sophical interpretation ; but all his teaching and preaching
were concerning the life of Christ upon earth, whereby he be-
came the Life and Eight of men. Now follows:
190 i^uther's church postiu
III. CHRIST'S THIRD TITLE OF HONOR AND AT-
TRIBUTE: HE WAS THE LIGHT.
A. Christ was the light of men.
"And the Life was the Light of men."
43. Just as the word "life" was interpreted differently from
the meaning intended by the EvangeHst, so was also the word
"light." There has been much foolish speculation as to how
the Word of God in its divinity could be a light, which natu-
rally shines and has always given light to the minds of men
even among the heathen. Therefore the light of reason has
been emphasized and based upon this passage of Scripture.
44. These are all human, Platonic, and philosophical
thoughts, which lead us away from Christ into ourselves; but
the Evangelist wishes to lead us away from ourselves into
Christ. For he would not deal with the divine, almighty and
eternal Word of God, nor speak of it, otherwise than as flesh
and blood, that sojourned upon earth. He would not have
us diffuse our thoughts among the creatures which he has
created, so as to pursue him, search for him, and speculate
about him as the Platonic philosophers do; but he wishes
to lead us away from those vague and highflown thoughts
and bring us together in Christ.
The Evangelist means to say: Why do you make such
extensive excursions and search for him so far away? Be-
hold, in the man Christ are all things. He has made all
things; in him is life, and he is the Word by whom all
things were made. Remain in him and you will find all;
he is the life and the light of all men. Whoever directs
you elsewhere, deceives you. For he has offered himself
in this flesh and blood, and he must be sought and will be
found there. Follow the testimony of John the Baptist;
he will show you no other life or light than this man, who
is God himself. Therefore this light must mean the true
light of grace in Christ, and not the natural light, which
also sinners, Jews, heathen, and devils have, who are the
greatest enemies of the light.
45. But let no one accuse me of teaching differently from
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 191
St. Augustine, who interpreted this text to mean the natural
hght. I do not reject tliat interpretation, and am well aware
that all the light of reason is ignited by the divine light; and
as I have said of the natural life, that it has its origin in,
and is a part of, the true life, when it has come to the right
knowledge, so also the light of reason has its origin in, and
is part of, the true light, when it recognizes and honors him
by whom it has been ignited.
It however does not do this of itself, but remains separate
and by itself, becomes perverted, and likewise perverts all
things ; therefore it must become extinguished and die out. But
the light of grace does not destroy the natural light. To the
light of nature it is quite clear that two and three make five.
That the good is to be encouraged and the evil avoided is
also clear to it; and thus the light of grace does not extin-
guish the light of nature, but the latter never gets so far as
to be able to distinguish the good from the evil. It is with him
as one who wishes to go to Rome with Rome behind his
back; for he himself well knew that whoever would go to
Rome must travel the right way, but he knew not which
was the right road. So it is also with the natural light; it
does not take the right road to God, nor does it know or
recognize the right way, although it knows well that one
must get on the right road. Thus reason always prefers the
evil to the good; it would never do this if it fully realized
with a clear vision that the good only should be chosen.
46. But this interpretation is out of place in this connec-
tion, because only the light of grace is preached here. St.
Augustine was only a man, and we are not compelled to
follow his interpretation, since the text here clearly indicates
that the Evangelist speaks of the light of which John the
Baptist bore witness, which is ever the light of grace, even
Christ himself.
47. And since this is an opportunity, we shall further
c^.escribe this deceptive natural light, which causes so much
trouble and misfortune. This natural light is like all the
other members and powers of man. Who doubts that man
with all his powers has been created by the eternal Word of
192 luthkr's church postil.
God like all other things, and is a creature of God? But
yet there is no good in him, as Moses says, Gen. 6, 5 : "Every
imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil
continually."
48. Although the flesh was created by God, yet it is not
inclined to chastity, but to unchastity. Although the heart
was created by God, it is not inclined to humility, nor to the
love of one's neighbor, but to pride and selfishness, and it
acts according to this inclination, where it is not forcibly
restrained. So it is with the natural light; although it is
naturally so bright as to know that only good is to be done,
it is so perverted that it is never sure as to what is good;
it calls good whatever is pleasing to itself, is taken up with it,
and only concludes to do what it has selcted as good. Thus
it continues to pursue the evil instead of the good.
49. We shall prove this by examples. Reason knows
very well that we ought to be pious and serve God; of this
it knows how to talk, and thinks it can easily beat all the
world. Very well, this is true and well said; but when it
is to be done, and reason is to show how and in what way
we are to be pious and serve God, it knows nothing, is pur-
blind, and says one must fast, pray, sing, and do the works
of the law; it continues to act the fool with works, until it
has gone so far astray as to imagine that people are serving
God in building churches, ringing bells, burning frankincense,
whining, singing, wearing hoods, shaving their heads, burn-
ing candles, and other innumerable tomfoolery, of which all
the world is now full and more than full. In this monstrously
blind error reason continues, even while the bright light
shines on, that enjoins piety and service to God.
50. When now Christ, the light of grace, comes and also
teaches that we are to be pious and serve God, he does not
extinguish this natural light, but opposes the way and manner
of becoming pious and serving God as taught by reason. He
says: To become pious is not to do works; no works are
good without faith.
51. Then begins the fight. Reason rises up against grace,
and cries out against its light, accuses it of forbidding good
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 193
works, protests against not having its own Avay and stand-
ard of becoming pious, being thus set aside; but continually
rages about being pious and serving God, and so makes the
light of grace foolishness, nay error and heresy, and persists
in persecuting and banishing it. See, this is tlie virtue of
the light of nature, that it raves against the true light, is con-
stantly boasting of piety, piety, and is always crying "Good
works !" "Good works !" but it can not and will not stand to
be taught what piety is and what good works are ; it insists that
which it thinks and proposes must be right and good.
52. Behold, here then you have the icause and origin of all
idolatry, of all heresy, of all hypocrisy, of all error, of which
all the prophets have spoken, on account of which they were
killed, and against which all the Scriptures protest.
All this comes from the stubborn, self-willed arrogance
and delusion of natural reason, which is self-confident and
puffed up because it knows that we ought to be pious, and serve
God; it will neither listen to, nor suffer, a teacher to teach
them, thinks it knows enough, and would find out for itself
what it is to be pious and serve God, and how it may do so.
Therefore divine truth cannot and must not submit to reason ;
for this would be the greatest mistake and be contrary to God's
honor and glory. In this way contentions and tribulations
arise.
53. Therefore it is clear, I think, that John does not speak
here of the false light, nor of that bright natural light, which
rightly claims that we must be pious, for it is already here, and
Christ did not come to bring it, but to dim and blind this false,
selfwilled arrogance, and to set in its place the light of grace,
to wit, faith. And this also the words themselves indicate,
when they say: "The life was the light of men." If it is the
light of men, it must be a different light from the one that is in
men, since man already has the light of nature in him, and
whatever enlightens man, enlightens the light of nature in
man, and brings another light, which surpasses the light that
is in man.
He does not say, that it is the light of irrational animals,
but of man, who is a rational being. For there is not a man
194 luther's church postii..
found in whom there is not the natural light of reason, from
which cause alone he is called man and is worthy to be a man.
If the Evangelist would have us understand by this light the
natural light of reason, he would have said: The life was a
light of darkness ; as Moses writes in Gen. 1, 2 : "And dark-
ness was upon the face of the deep." Therefore this light must
be that which was revealed in Christ on earth.
54. Notice also the order of the words. John puts the Life
heiore the Light. He does not say : "The light was the life of
men ;" but on the contrary : "The life was the light of men ;"
for the reason that in Christ there is reality and truth, and
not simply appearance as in men. St. Luke speaks of Christ's
external life thus, 24, 19 : "He was a prophet mighty in deed
and word ;" and Acts 1,1: "Jesus began both to do and teach,"
where "doing" precedes the "teaching"; for where there is
only teaching without doing there is hypocrisy. Thus John
says of John the Baptist, "He was the lamp that burneth and
shineth," John 5, 35 ; for to be simply shining and not burning
is deceptive. In order, therefore, that Christ may here also
be recognized as the true, unerring light, John says that all
things were life in him, and this same life afterwards was the
light of men.
55. It follows then that man has no other light than Christ,
God's son in the flesh. And whosoever believes that Christ is
true God, and that in him is life, will be illumined and quick-
ened by this life. The light supports him, so that he may re-
main where Christ is. As the Godhead is an eternal life, this
same light is an eternal light; and as this same life can never
die so also this light can never be extinguished; and faith in
it .cannot perish.
56. We may also especially notice that the Evangelist
assigns life to Christ, as the eternal Word, and not to Christ
the man ; for he says : "In him," eminently in the Word, "was
the life." Although Christ died as man, yet he ever remained
alive; for life could not and cannot die; and consequently
death was overcome and was swallowed up in life, so much so
that his humanity soon again became alive.
This same Life is the light of men ; for he who recognizes
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 195
and believes in such a life in Christ, indeed passes through
death, yet never dies, as has been stated above. For this Light
of life protects him, so that death cannot harm him. Although
the body must die and decay, the soul will not feel this death,
because it is in that light, and through that light, that it is en-
tirely comprehended in the life of Christ. But he who does
not believe this, remains in darkness and death ; and although
his body is united to him, even as it will be forever at the day
of judgment, yet the soul will nevertheless taste and feel death,
and will die eternally.
57. From this we may realize how great was the harm which
Cerinthus threatened, and which all do who believe and teach
that Christ is only man and not true God. For his humanity
would profit us nothing if the divinity were not in it. Yet, on
the other hand, God will not and cannot be found, save through
and in his humanity, which he has set up as an ensign for
the nations, gathering together the dispersed of Judah from
the four corners of the earth. Is. 11, 12.
58. See now, if you will believe that in Christ there is such
life that remains even in death, and has overcome death, this
light will Hghten you aright, and will remain a light and life
within you even at the time of your death. It follows then that
such Life and Light cannot be mere creafures, for no creature
can overcome death, either in itself or in another. Behold,
how easy and becoming this interpretation of the light is, and
how much better it is for our salvation ; but how very far
they are from it who wish to make of this light only the natural
light of reason. For this latter light does not improve any one,
nay, it leads only farther away from Christ into creation and
to false reason. We must enter into Christ, and not look at
the lights which come from him, but gaze at his light, which is
the origin of all lights. We must follow the streams v/hich lead
to the source and not away from it.
B. Christ zi'as the light that shineth in the darkness.
."And the light shineth in the darkness and the darkness
apprehended it not.''
59. This passage has also been interpreted with such lofty
ideas, and made to mean that reason has a natural light, as
196 luthi:r's church postil.
I have just mentioned, and that the same is kindled by God;
and yet reason does not recognize, understand, nor feel him,
the real Light, by whom it is kindled ; therefore it is in dark-
ness, and does not behold the Light from which nevertheless
it receives all its vision.
60. O, that this interpretation, that reason has a natural
light, were rooted out of my heart! How deeply it is seated
there. Not that it is false or wrong in itself, but because it is
out of place and untimely in this Gospel connection, and it
^viil not allow these blessed and comforting words of the Gos-
pel to remain simple and pure in their true meaning. Why do
they not thus speak also of the natural life? For even the nat-
ural life is surely quickened by the divine life, just as much
as the light of reason is kindled by the divine light.
They might just as well say that life quickens the dead
and the dead apprehend it not, as to say that the light illumines
dark reason and reason apprehends it not. I might also say
tliat the eternal will makes the unwilling willing, and the un-
willing do not apprehend it; and in like manner we might
speak of all our other natural gifts and powers. But how does
reason and its light fall on such speculations? The Platonic
philosophers with their useless and senseless prating first led
Augustine to his interpretation. The glitter was so fascinating
that they were even called the divine philosophers. Augustine
then carried us all with him.
61. What more can their talk teach than this, that reason
is illumined by God, who is inconceivable and incompre-
hensible light ? Just so life is given by God, who is inconceiv-
able life, and all our powers are made powerful by God, who is
inconceivable power. And as he is near to the light of reason
with his inconceivable life, and to the powers with his incon-
ceivable power, as St. Paul says, "In him we live, and move, and
have our being", Acts 17, 28. Again, "Am I a God at hand,
saith Jehovah, and not a God afar off? Do not I fill heaven
and earth?" Jer. 23, 23. 24.
Thus we have just heard in the Epistle that "He upholds
all things by the word of his power," Heb. 1,3. Therefore
he is not only near to the light of reason and illumines it,
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 197
but he is near also to all creatures, and flows and pours into
them, shines and works in them, and fills all things. Accord-
ingly we are not to think that St. John speaks here of the
light of reason; he simply sets mankind before him, and
tells what kind of light they have in Christ, aside from and
above the light of nature.
62. It is also a blind and awkward expression to say of
the natural light that the darkness apprehended it not. What
else would this be than to say that reason is illumined and
kindled by the divine light, and yet, remains in darkness and
receives no light? Whence comes this natural light? There
can never be darkness where a light is kindled; although
there is darkness from the want of the light of grace. But
here they are not speaking of the light of grace, and so they
can not refer to like or spiritual darkness. Therefore it is a
contradiction of terms to say that the light illumined the
darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not, or the dark-
ness remained. One might as well say that life is given to
a dead person, and the dead person does not apprehend it
nor receive it, but remains dead.
63. But if some one should say that we are not able to
apprehend him w^ho gives light and life, then I really hear,
what angel does apprehend him? What saint apprehends the
one who offers him grace? Verily he remains concealed and
unapprehended : but this does not mean, as the Evangelist here
says, that the Light is not apprehendd i darkness ; but as the
words read, it means : The Light shineth into the darkness,
but the darkness remains darkness and is not illuminated; the
Light shines upon the darkness, and yet the darkness remains ;
just as the sun shines upon the blind, and yet they do not
perceive it. Behold how many words I must waste in order
to remove this foreign and false interpretation of our text!
64. Therefore let us cling to the simple meaning the words
convey when we do no violence to them. All who are illum-
ined by natural reason apprehend the light, each one being
illumined according to his talent and capacity. But this Light
of grace, which is given to men aside from and above the
natural light, shines in darkness, that is, among men of the
198 Luther's church postil.
world, who are blind and without grace ; but they do not
accept it, yea, they even persecute it. This is what Christ
means when he says, John 3, 19 : "And as this is the judg-
ment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved
the darkness rather than the light." Behold, Christ was upon
earth and among men before he was publicly preached by
John the Baptist; but no one took notice of him. He was
the Life and Light of men. He lived and did shine; yet
there was nothing but darkness, and the darkness did not
perceive him. Everybody was worldly blind and benighted.
Had they apprehended who he was, they would have given
him due honor, as St. Paul says: "Had the rulers of this
world known the wisdom of God, they would not have Eiruci-
fied the Lord of glory," 1 Cor. 2, 8.
65. Thus Christ has always been the Life and Light, even
before his birth, from the beginning, and will ever remain
so to the end. He shines at all times in all creatures, in the
Holy Scriptures, through his saints, prophets, and ministers,
in his word and workes ; and he has never ceased to shine.
But in whatever place he has shone, there was great darkness,
and the darkness apprehended him not.
66. St. John may have indeed directed these words thus
against the followers of Cerinthus, so that they saw the plain
Scriptures and the truth that enlightened them, yet they did not
apprehend their darkness. So it is at all times, and even now.
Although the Scriptures are explained to blind teachers so
that they may apprehend the truth, yet they do not appre-
hend it, and the fact remains that the light shineth in the
darkness and the darkness apprehends it not.
67. It is especially to be observed that the Evangelist
here says the light shineth, phaenei, that is, it is manifest and
present to the eyes in the darkness. But he who receives
nothing more from it remains in darkness; just as the sun
shines for the blind man, but he does not on that account
see any better. So it is the nature of this light that it shines
in darkness, but the darkness does not on that account become
brighter. In believers, however, it not only shines, but it
makes them transparent and seeing, it lives in them, so that
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 199
it can properly be said that ''The life is the light of men."
On the other hand, light without life is a shining of darkness ;
therefore no light is of any use to unbelievers, for however
clear the truth is presented and shown to them, they still
remain in darkness.
68. Let us then understand all these sayings of the Evan-
gelist as common attributes and titles of Christ, which he
wishes to have preached in the Church as a preface and intro-
duction of that which he proposes to write of Christ in his
whole Gospel, namely, that he is true God and true man, who
has created all things, and has been given to man as Life
and Light, although but a few of all those to whom he is
revealed receive him.
This is what our Gospel lesson contains and nothing more.
In the same manner St. Paul also composes a preface and
introduction to his Epistle to the Romans, Rom. 1, 1. Now
follows the actual beginning of this Gospel:
C. Christ Was the Lignt of Which John Bore Witness,
'*There came a man, sent from God, whose name was
John."
69. St. Mark and St. Luke also begin their gospels with
John the Baptist, and they should begin with him; as Christ
himself says: "From the days of John the Baptist until now
the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence," Math. 11,12.
And St. Peter says that Jesus began from the baptism of
John, by whom he was also called and ordained to be a
minister, Acts 1, 22. And St. John the Baptist himself testifies,
**I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven,"
John 1, 32, and he heard the Father's voice saying. "This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," Math. 3, 17.
Then Christ was made a teacher, and his public ministry
began; then only began the Gospel of Christ. For no one
except Christ himself was allowed to begin the exalted, blessed,
comforting mission of the Word. And for his sake John must
first come and prepare the people for his preaching, that they
might receive the Life and the Light.
70. For, as we have heard, Christ is everywhere the Light
200 luthkr's church postil.
which shines in the darkness and is not apprehended; so he
was especially and bodily in his humanity present among the
Jews, appeared to them; but he was not recognized by them.
Therefore his forerunner, John, can:e for the sole purpose
of preaching him, in order that he might be recognized and
received. This passage therefore fittingly follows the former
one. Since Christ, the shining Light, was not recognized,
John came to open the eyes of men and to bear witness of the
ever present, shining light, which afterwards was to be re-
ceived, heard, and recognized itself without the witness of John.
71. It is my opinion that we have now passed through
the most difficult and most glorious part of this Gospel; for
what is said henceforth is easy, and is the same as that which
the other Evangelists write of John and of Christ. Although, as
I have said, this part is in itself not difficult, yet it has been
purposely made so by natural and human interpretations. A
passage naturally becomes difficult when a word is taken from
its ordinary meaning and given a strange one. Who would
not wish to know what a man is, and would not imagine all
manner of wonderful things, if he were told that a man is some-
thing different from what all the world thinks? This is what
happened here to the clear, simple words of the Evangelist.
72. Still John uses a peculiar style, since he always, be-
cause of Cerinthus, directs the testimony of John the Baptist
to the divinity of Christ, which is not done by the other
Evangelists, who only refer to Christ, without especially em-
phasizing his divinity. But here he says, John came to bear
witness of the Eight, and to preach Christ as the Life, the
Light, and as God, as we shall hear.
73. What, therefore, was said about John the Baptist in
Advent, is also to be understood here, namely that, like as he
came before Christ and directed the people to him, so the
spoken word of the Gospel is simply to preach and point out
Christ. It was ordained by God for this purpose alone, just
as John was sent by God. We have also heard that John was
a voice in the wilderness, signifying by his office the oral
preaching of the Gospel. Since the darkness was of itself
unable to apprehend this Light, although it was present, John
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 201
must needs reveal It and bear witness of It. And even now
the natural reason is not able of itself to apprehend It, although
it IS present in all the world: the oral word of the Gospel must
reveal it and proclaim it.
74. We see now that through the Gospel this light is
brought to us, not from a distance, nor do we need to go far
to obtain it ; it is very near us and shines In our hearts ; noth-
ing more is needed than that it be pointed out and preached.
And he who now hears it preached, and believes, finds It in
his heart; for as faith Is only in the heart, so also this light
is alone in faith. Therefore I say it Is near at hand and
within us, but of ourselves we cannot apprehend it; it must
be preached and believed. This is also what St. Paul means
when he says, referring to Deut. 30, 11-14: "Say not in thine
heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ
down), or. Who shall descend into the deep? (that Is, to
bring Christ up from the dead). But what saith It? The
word Is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and In thy heart ; that is, the
word of faith, which we preach." Rom. 10, 6-8. Behold this
is the light which shineth in darkness, and is not recognized
until John and the Gospel come and reveal it. Then man is
enlightened by it, and apprehends It; and yet It changes
neither time, nor place, nor person, nor age, but only the heart.
75. Again, as John did not come of himself, but was sent
by God, so neither the Gospel nor any sermon on this Light
can come of itself or from human reason; but they must be
sent by God. Therefore the Evangelist here sets aside all the
doctrines of men ; for what men teach will never show Christ,
the Light, but will only obstruct it. But whatsoever points
out Christ is surely sent by God, and has not been invented
by man. For this reason the Evangelist mentions the name
and says : His name was John. In Hebrew John means grace
or favor, to signify that this preaching and message was not
sent on account of any merit of ours ; but was sent purely out of
God's grace and mercy, and brings to us also God's grace and
mercy. Thus St. Paul says: "How shall they preach, except
they be sent?" Rom. 10,15.
76. From all this we learn that the Evangelist speaks of
202 LUTHER*S CHURCH POSTIL.
Christ in a manner that he may be recognized as God. For
if he is the Hght which is everywhere present and shines in
darkness, and it needs nothing more than that it be revealed
through the Word, and recognized in the heart through faith,
it must surely be God. No creature can to such a degree be
so near in all places, and shine in all hearts. And yet the
Light is God in a way as to be still man, and be preached in
and by man. The words follow:
''The same came for witness, that he might hear witness
of the Light, that all might believe through him/'
11. From what has now been said, it is clear that the
Gospel proclaims only this Light, the man Christ, and causes
the darkness to apprehend it, yet not by reason or feeling,
but by faith. For he says: ''That all might believe through
him." Again: "He came for a witness, that he might bear
witness." The nature of bearing witness is that it speaks of that
which others do not see, know, or feel ; but they must believe
him that bears testimony. So also the Gospel does not demand
a decision and assent according to reason, but a faith which
is above reason, for in no other way can this light be recog-
nized.
78. It was said plainly enough above, in what way the light
of reason is in conflict with and rages against this Light, to
say nothing of its being adhered to or apprehended by it. For
it is positively written: "The darkness apprehendeth the light
not;" therefore reason with its light must be taken captive
and blinded; as is said in Isaiah, 60, 19: "The sun," that is,
thy reason, "shall be no more thy light by day; neither for
brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but Jehovah
will be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory,"
that is, through the Gospel or Word of God, or through the
witness of John, which demands faith, and makes a fool of
reason. Consequently witness is borne of this Light through
the Word, that reason may keep silent and follow this testi-
mony; then it will apprehend the Light in faith, and its dark-
ness wnll be illumined. For if reason were able to apprehend
this Light of itself, or adhere to it, there would be no need
of John or his testimony.
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 203
79. Therefore the aim of the Gospel is to be a witness for
reason's sake, which is self-willed, blind and stubborn. The
Gospel resists reason and leads it away from its own light
and fancy to faith, through which it can apprehend this living
and eternal Light.
''He zvas not the Light, but came that he might bear wit-
ness of the Light/'
80. Dearly beloved, why does he say this, and repeat the
words that John was only a witness of the Light? O, what
necessary repetition ! First of all to show that this Light
is not simply a man, but God himself ; for, as I have said, the
Evangelist greatly desires to preach the divinity of Christ in
all his words. If John, the great Saint, be not that Light, but
only a witness of it, then this Light must be something far
different from everything that is holy, whether it be man or
angel. For if holiness could make such a light, it would
have made one of John. But it is above holiness, and must
therefore be above the angels, who are not more than holy.
8L In the second place, to resist wicked preachers of man,
who do not bear witness of Christ, the Light, but of themselves.
For it is true indeed, that all who preach the doctrines of men
make man the light, lead men away from God to themselves,
and set themselves up in the place of the true Light, as the
pope and his followers have done. Therefore he is the Anti-
christ, that is, he is against Christ, the true Light.
82. This gospel text allows of no other doctrine beside it ;
it desires only to testify of Christ and lead men to him, who
is the Light. Therefore, O Lord God, these words, ''He was
not the Light," are truly worthy to be capitalized and to be
well remembered against the men who set themselves up as
the light and give to men doctrines and laws of their own
fabrication. They pretend to enlighten men, but lead them
with themselves into the depths of hell ; for they do not teach
faith, and are not willing to teach it; and no one teaches it
except John, who is sent of God, and the holy Gospel. Truly
much could be said on this point.
83. In short, he who does not preach the Gospel to you,
reject and refuse to hear him. He, however, preaches the
204 i^uther's church postil.
Gospel who teaches you to believe and trust in Christ, the
eternal Light, and not to build on any of your own works.
Therefore beware of everything told you that does not agree
with the Gospel ; do not put your trust in it, nor accept it as
something external, as you regard eating and drinking,
which are necessary for your body, and which you may use
at your pleasure or at the pleasure of another ; but by no means
as something necessary to your salvation. For this purpose
nothing is necessary or of use to you except this Light.
84. O, these abominable doctrines of men, which are now
so prevalent and which have almost banished this Light ! They
all wish to be this light themselves, but not to be witnesses
of it. They advocate themselves and teach their own fancies,
but are silent about this Light, or teach it in a way as to preach
themselves along with it. This is worse than to be entirely
silent ; for by such teaching they make Samaritans who partly
worship God and partly worship idols, 2 Kings 17,33.
D. He Wa^ the Light That Lighteth Bveryone.
"There was the true Light, which lighteth every man, com-
ing into the world/'
85. Neither John nor any saint is the Light ; but John and
all evangelical preachers testify of the true Light. For the
present enough has been said of this Light, what it is, how it
is recognized by faith, and how it supports us eternally in
life and death, so that no darkness can ever harm us. But
what is remarkable is, that he says: "It lighteth every man,
coming into the world." If this be affirmed of the natural
light it would be contradicted when he says that it is: "the
true Light." He had said before: "The darkness apprehends
it not"; and all his words are directed toward the Light of
grace. Then follow the words : "He was in the world, and
the world knew him not," and "His own received him not."
But he whom the true Light lighteth, is illumined by grace,
and recognizes the Light.
86. Again, that he does not speak of the light of grace is
evident when he says: "It lighteth every man, coming into
the world." This manifestly includes all men who are born
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 205
into the world. St. Augustine says it means that no man is
illumined except by this Light; it is the same as though we
were to say of a teacher in a place where there is no other
teacher: This teacher instructs all the city, that is, there is
no other teacher in that city; he instructs all the pupils. By
it is not said that he teaches all the people in the city, but
simply that he is the only teacher in the city, and none are
taught but by him.
So here the Evangelist would have us know that John is
not the Light, nor any man, nor any creature ; but that there
/s only one Light that lighteth all men, and that no man comes
into the world who can possibly be illumined by any other
light.
87. And I cannot reject this interpretation; for St. Paul
also speaks in like manner in Rom. 5, 18 : ''As through one
trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation;
even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came
unto all men unto justification of Hfe." Although all men are
not justified through Christ, he is, nevertheless, the only man
through whom justification comes.
So it is also here. Although all men are not illumined,
nevertheless this is the only light through which all illumina-
tion comes. The Evangelist has used this manner of speech
freely, and had no fear that some might take offense because
he says "all men." He thought he would anticipate all such
oft'ense, and explains himself before and afterwards, and says :
**The darkness apprehended him not, and his own received him
not." These words are sufficient proof to prevent anyone from
saying that the Evangelist meant to say that all men are illum-
ined ; but he did wish to say that Christ is the only Light that
lighteth all men, and without him no man is lighted.
88. If this were said of the natural light of reason, it would
have little significance, since it not only enlightens all men
who come into the world, but also those who go out of the
world, and even devils. For this light of reason remains in
the dead, in devils, and in the condemned, yea, it becomes
brighter, that they may be all the more tormented by it. But
since only human beings who come into this world are men-
206 Luther's church postil.
tioned, the Evangelist indicates that he is speaking of the
Light of faith, which Hghtens and helps only in this life ; for
after death no one will be illumined by it. The illuminating
must take place in this life through faith in the man Christ,
yet by his divinity. After this life we shall clearly see his
divinity without the humanity and without faith.
89. Therefore the Evangelist is careful to form his words
so as not by any means to reject the man Christ, and yet so as
to declare his divinity. For this reason it was necessary for
him to say "all men," so as to preach only one light for all,
and to warn us not to accept in this life the lights of men or
any other lights.
One man is not to lighten another, but this light alone is
to lighten all men; and ministers are to be only forerunners
and witnesses of this Light to men, that all may believe in this
Light.
Therefore, when he had said: "Which lighteth every
man," he realized that he had said too much, and so he added :
"coming into the world," so that he might make Christ the
Light of this world. For in the world to come this light will
cease and will be changed into eternal glory, as St. Paul says :
"When he shall deHver up the kingdom to God," 1 Cor. 15,24;
but now he rules through his humanity. When he delivers up
the kingdom, he will also deliver up the Light ; not as though
there were two kinds of light, or as though we were to see
something different from what we now see ; but we shall see the
same Light and the same God we now see in faith, but in a
different manner. Now we see him in faith darkly, then we
shall see him face to face. Just as though I beheld a gilded
picture through a colored glass or veil, and afterwards looked
at it without these. So also St. Paul says : "Now we see in a
mirror, darkly; but then face to face," 1 Cor. 13, 12.
90. Behold, you now know of what the Evangelist speaks,
when he says that Christ is the Light of men through his
humanity, that is, in faith, by means of which his divinity is
reflected as by a mirror, or is seen as in a glass or as the sun
shines through bright clouds. But let us remember that the
Light is attributed to his divinity, not to his humanity; and
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 207
yet his humanity, which is the cloud or curtain before the
Light, must not be thought Hghtly of.
91. This language is sufficiently plain and he who has faith
understands very well what is the nature and character of this
Light. It matters not if he who does not believe does not
understand it. He is not to understand it, for it is better that
he knew nothing of the Bible and did not study it, than that
he deceive himself and others with his erroneous light; for
he imagines it to be the light of Scripture, which, however,
cannot be apprehended without true faith. For this Light
shines in the darkness, but is not apprehended by it.
92. This passage may also mean that the Evangelist has
in mind the preaching of the Gospel and of faith in all the
world, and so that this Light shines upon all men throughout
the world, just as the sun shines upon all men. St. Paul says :
"Be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye
heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven,"
1 Col. 1, 23. Christ himself says : *'Go ye into all the world,
and preach the Gospel to the w^hole creation," Mark 16, 15.
The Psalmist also says : "His going forth is from the end of
the heavens, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is
nothing hid from the heat thereof," Ps. 19, 6. How this is to
be understood has been explained in the sermon on the Epistle
for Christmas. Is. 9, 2.
93. By this easy and simple interpretation we can readily
understand how this Light lighteth every man, coming into
the world, so that neither Jews nor anyone else should dare
to set up their own light anywhere. And this interpretation is
well suited to the preceding passages. For even before John
or the Gospel bore witness of the Light, it had shone in
darkness and the darkness apprehended it not; but after it
has been proclaimed and publicly witnessed to, it shines as far
as the world extends, unto all men, although all men will not
receive it ; as follows :
II. THE COMING OF CHRIST.
*^He was in the world, and the world was made through
him, and the world knew him not."
208 luth£:r's church postil.
94. All this is said of Christ as man and refers especially
to the time after his baptism, when he began to give light ac-
cording to John's testimony. He was ever in the world. But
what place of the world knew it ? Who received him ? He was
not even received by those with whom he was personally asso-
ciated, as the following shows :
''He came unto his own, and they that were his own re-
ceived him not."
95. This also is said of his coming as a preacher, and not
of his being born into the world. For his ;coming is his preach-
ing and illumining. The Baptist says : ''He it is who coming
after me is preferred before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am
not worthy to unloose," Math. 3, 11 ; Luke 3, 16; Mark 1, 7;
John 1, 27. Op account of this coming John is also called his
forerunner, as Gabriel said to his father Zacharias : "He shall
go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah; to make
ready for the Lord a people prepared for him," Luke 1,17.
For, as has been said, the Gospels begin with the baptism of
Christ. Then he began to be the Light and to do that for
which he came. Therefore it is said that he came into the
Vv'orld to his own people and his own received him not. If
this were not said of his coming to give light by preaching,
the Evangelist would not thus reprove them for not having
received him.
96. Who could know that it was he, if he had not been
revealed? Therefore it is their fault that they did not receive
him; for he came and was revealed by John and by himself.
Therefore John says, ''That he should be made manifest to
Israel, for this cause came I baptizing with water," John 1, 31.
And he says himself, "I am come in my Father's name, and
ye receive me not ; if another shall come in his owh name, him
ye will receive," John 5, 43. This is also evidently said of the
coming of his preaching and of his revelation.
97. He calls the Jews his own people because they were
chosen out of all the world to be his people, and he had
been promised to them through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and
David. For to us heathens or Gentiles there was no promise
of Christ. Therefore we are strangers and are not called "his
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 209
own"; but through pure grace we have been adopted, and
have thus become his people ; though, alas, we also allow him
to come daily through the Gospel and do not esteem him.
Therefore we must also suffer that another, the Pope, comes
in his place and is received by us. We must serve the bitter
foe because we will not serve our God.
98. But we must not forget in this connection that the
Evangelist refers twice to the divinity of Christ. First, when
he says : ''The world was made through him." Secondly,
when he says : "He came unto his own." For it is the nature
only of the true God to have his own people. The Jews were
always God's own people ,as the Scriptures frequently declare.
If then they are Christ's own people, he must certainly be that
God to whom the Scriptures assign that people.
99. But the Evangelist commends to every thoughtful per-
son for consideration, what a shame and disgrace it is that the
world does not recognize its Creator, and that the Jewish people
do not receive their God. In what stronger terms can you
reprove the world than by saymg that it does not know its
Creator? What base wickedness and evil report follow from
this fact alone ! What good can there be where there is nothing
but ignorance, darkness and blindness? What wickedness
where there is no knowledge of God ! O, woe ! What a
wicked and frightful thing the world is ! The one who knew
the world and duly pondered this, would fall the deeper into
perdition. He could not be happy in this life, of which such
evil things are written.
^^But as many as received him, to them gave he the right
to become children of God, even to them that believed on his
name,"
100. We see now what kind of a Light that is of which the
Evangelist has hitherto been speaking. It is Christ, the com-
forting light of grace, and not the light of nature or reason.
For John is an Evangelist and not a Platonist. All who re-
ceive the light of nature and reason receive him according to
that light; how could they receive him otherwise? Just as
they receive the natural life from the divine life. However,
that light and that life do not give them any power to become
210 LuThe:r's church postil.
the children of God. Yea, they remain the enemies of this
Light, do not know it, nor acknowledge it. Therefore there
can be no reference in this Gospel to the light of nature, but
only to Christ, that he may be acknowledged as true God.
101. From now on this Gospel is familiar to all, for it
speaks of faith in Christ's name, that it makes us God's chil-
dren. These are excellent words and powerfully refute the
teachers of the law, who preach only good works. Good
works never bring about a change of heart. Therefore, al-
though the work righteous are ever changing and think they
are improving their deeds, in their hearts they remain the
same, and their works only become a mantle for their shame
and hypocrisy.
102. But, as has often been said, faith changes the person
and makes out of an enemy a child, so mysteriously that the
external works, walk and conversation remain the same as
before, when they are not by nature wicked deeds. Therefore
faith brings with it the entire inheritance and highest good of
righteousness and salvation, so that these need not be sought
in works, as the false teachers of good works would have us
believe. For he who is a child of God has already God's in-
heritance through his sonship. If then faith g\/es this sonship,
it is manifest that good works should be done freely, to the
honor of God, since they already possess salvation and the
inheritance from God through faith. This has been amply
explained heretofore in the sermon on the second Epistle for
this day.
''Who were horn, not of blood, nor of the ivill of the flesh,
nor of the zvill of man, hut of God."
103. To explain himself, the Evangelist here tells us what
faith does, and that everything is useless without it. Here
he not only does not praise nature, light, reason, and whiUcv^,
is not of faith, but forcibly overthrows each. This sonship
is too great and noble to originate from nature or to be re-
quired by it.
104. John mentions four different kinds of sonship : one
of blood, another of the will of the flesh, a third of the will of
man, the fourth of this will of God, It is evident that the son-
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 211
ship of blood is the natural sonship. With this he refutes the
Jews who boasted that they were of the blood of Abraham and
the patriarchs, relying on the passages of Scripture in which
God promises the blessing and the inheritance of eternal salva-
tion to the seed of Abraham. Therefore they claim to be the
only true people and children of God. But here he says, there
must be more than mere blood, else there is no sonship of God.
For Abraham and the patriarchs received the inheritance, not
for blood's sake but for faith's sake, as Paul teaches in Heb.
11,8. If mere blood-relationship were sufficient for this son-
ship, then Judas, the betrayer, Caiaphas, Ananias, and all the
wicked Jews who in times past were condemned in the wilder-
ness, would have a proper right to this inheritance. For they
vere all of the blood of the patriarchs. Therefore it is said,
they were born, "not of blood, but of God."
105. The other two relationships or sonships, to wit, of
the will of the flesh." and "of the will of man" I do not yet
sufficiently understand myself. But I see very well that the
Evangelist thereby wishes to reject everything which is of
nature and which nature can accomplish, and that he would
retain the birth by God alone. Therefore there is no danger
in whatever manner we explain these two parts and variously
attribute them to nature outside of grace. It is all the same.
Some understand the sonship of the will of the flesh to come
not of blood, but through the law of jv loses. He commanded
that the nearest kin to the wife of a deceased husband marry
the widow, and raise a name and heir to the deceased one,
that the name of his friend be not put out of Israel. To this
interpretation belongs also the step-relationship, which comes
of the will of the flesh, and not of blood-relationship.
106. But the Evangelist here calls by the name of flesh
man, as he lives in the flesh, which is the common Scriptural
designation. Therefore the meaning is : not as men have chil-
dren outside of their own line of descent, which is carnal and
human, and takes place in accordance with man's free will.
But what is born in the line of ancestral blood, takes place
without the free will, according to nature, whether a man wills
it or not.
212 LUTHER S CHURCH POSTIL.
107. The third kind of sonship mentioned is "of the will
of man." This is taken to mean the sonship of strangers, com-
monly called "adoption," as when a man chooses and adopts
a strange child as his own. Though you were Abraham's or
David's real child, or step-child, or you had been adopted, or
you were a stranger, it would all be of no benefit to you
unless you were born of God. Even Christ's own friends and
relatives did not believe in him, as we are told, John 7, 5.
108. But those who wish may explain this relationship as
follows : "Those born of blood" may mean all those who belong
to the blood-relationship, whether it be a full or a step-relation-
ship; "those born of the will of the flesh" may include all
those who are not born of blood, or those who have been
adopted into the relationship. But "those who are born of the
will of man" are spiritual children of those who are the dis-
ciples or followers of a teacher. Thus the Evangelist rejects
everything that might be accomplished by blood, flesh, nature,
reason, art, doctrine, law, free will, with all their powers, so
that no one may presume to help another by means of his own
doctrine, work, art, or free will, or be allowed to help any man
upon earth to the kingdom of God ; he is to reject everything,
except the striving after the divine birth.
I am also inclined to think that "man" in the Scriptures
usually means a superior, who rules, loads, and teaches others.
These are properly and before all others rejected, since no
relationship is more stubborn, more insolently presumptuous,
and confides more in itself than this, and does most stren-
uously oppose grace at all times, and persecutes the Lord of
grace. In this respect let every one have his opinion, as long
as he bears in mind that nothing avails which is not born
of God. For if something else would have availed anything,
the Evangelist would without doubt have put it side by side
with the divine birth, especially as he looks for it so care-
fully, and would not have exalted only this divine birth.
109. The divine birth is therefore nothing else than faith.
How can this be? It has been explained above how the light
of grace opposes and blinds the light of reason. If now
the Gospel comes and bears witness to the light of grace, that
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 213
man must not live and do according to his fancy, but must
reject, put away, and destroy the Hght of nature, if this man
accepts and follows such testimony, gives up hi's own light
and fancy, is willing to become a fool, allows himself to be
led, taught and enlightened he will be entirely changed, that
is, in his natural light. His old light is extinguished and a
new light, to wit, faith is kindled. He follows this new light
in life and in death, clings solely to the witness of John or
the Gospel, even should he be compelled to abandon all he
had and could do before.
Behold, he is now born again of God through the Gospel,
in which he remains, and lets go his own light and fancy,
as St. Paul says: "For in Christ Jesus I begat you through
the Gospel," 1 Cor. 4, 15; again, "Of his own will he brought
us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
first fruits of his creatures," Jas. 1, 18. Therefore St. Peter
calls us "new born babes," 1 Pet. 2, 2. It is for this reason
also that the Gospel is called the womb of God, in which we
are conceived, carried and born as a woman conceives, car-
ries and bears a child in her womb. Isaiah says: "Hearken
unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house
of Israel, that have been borne by me from their birth, that
have been carried from the womb," Is. 46, 8.
110. But this birth properly shows its power in times of
temptation and death. There it becomes evident who is born
again, and who is not. Then the old light, reason, struggles
and wrestles and is loath to leave its fancies and desires, is
unwilling to consider and resort to the Gospel, and let go its
own light. But those who are born again, or are then being
born again, spend their Hves in peace and obedience to the
Gospel, confide in and cling to the witness of John, and let go,
their light, life, property, honor, and all they have. There-
fore they come to the eternal inheritance, as real children.
111. But when this light, reason and man's old conceit
are dead, dark, and changed into a new light, then the life
and all powers of man must be changed and be obedient to
the new Light. For where the will goes reason follows, and
love and pleasures follow the will. And so the whole man
214 Luther's church postii..
must be hid in the Gospel, become a new creature and nut
off the old Adam, as the serpent puts off its old skin. When
the skin becomes old the serpent seeks a narrow crevice in
the rock, crawls through it, sheds its old skin, and leaves it
on the outside.
Thus man must resort to the Gospel and to God's Word,
confidently trusting their promises, which never fail. In this
way he puts off the old Adam, sets aside his own light and
conceit, his will, love, desire, speech, and his deeds, and
becomes an entirely new man, who sees everything in a
different manner than before, judges differently, thinks differ-
ently, wills differently, speaks and loves and desires differently,
acts and conducts himself differently than he did before. He
now understands whether all the conditions and works of men
are right or wrong, as St. Paul says: "He that is spiritual
judgeth all things, and he himself h judged of no man,"
1 Cor. 2, 15.
112. He now sees iclearly what great fools they are who
pretend to become pious through their good works. He
would not give one farthing for all the preachers, monks,
popes, bishops, tonsures, cowls, incense, illuminations, burning
of candles, singing, organs, prayers, with all their external
performances; for he sees how all this is simple idolatry, and
foolish dissimulation, just as the Jews prayed to Baal, Asta-
roth, and the calf in the wilderness, which they looked upon
as precious things in the old light of stubborn, self-conceited
reason.
113. From this it is evident that no blood, nor relationship,
nor command, nor doctrine, nor reason, nor free will, nor
good works, nor exemplary living, nor Carthusian orders, nor
any religious orders, though they were angelic, are of any
use or help to this sonship of God; but they are only a
hindrance. For where reason is not first renewed and in
agreement with the new birth, it takes offense, becomes har-
dened and blinded, so that it will scarcely, if ever, be able
to be righted; but thinks its doings and ways are right and
proper, storming and raving against all who disregard and
reject its doings. Therefore the old man remains the enemy
THIRD CHRISl MAS DAY. 215
of God and of grace, of Christ and of his Hght, beheads John
and destroys his testimony, the Gospel, and sets up his own
human doctrines. Thus the game goes on even now, in full
splendor and power, in the doings of the pope and his clergy,
who together know nothing of this divine bi'rth. They prattle
and speak nonsense in their doctrines and commandments of
certain good works, with which they hope to attain grace,
though still clad in the old Adam.
114. But what is here said remains unchangeable: Not
of blood, not of the will of the flesh nor of man, but of God,
is this new birth. We must despair of our own will, works,
and life, which have been poisoned by the false, stubborn,
selfish Hght of reason; in all things listen to the voice and
testimony of the Baptist ; believe and obey it. Then the true
Light, Chirst, will enlighten us, renew us, and give us power
to become the sons of God. For this reason he came and was
made man, as follows:
III. CHRIST'S INCARNATION.
''And the Word became flesh, and dzvelt among us, and we
beheld his glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from tho
Father, full of grace and truth."
115. By "flesh" w^e understand the whole man, body and
soul, according to the Scriptures, which call man "flesh," as
above, when it is said : "Not of the will of the flesh" ; and in
the Creed we say : "I believe in the resurrection of the body"
(German: flesh), that is, of all men. i\gain Christ says:
"Except those days had been shortened, there would be no
flesh saved," that is, no man. Math. 24, 22. Again : "He
remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passci.h
away, and cometh not again," Ps. 78, 39. Again : "Thou
gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast
given him, he should give eternal Hfe," John 17, 2.
116. I speak of this the more fully because this passage
has occasioned so much offense on the part of heretics at the
time when there were learned and great bishops. Some, as
Photinus and Appollinaris, taught that Christ was a man
without a soul, and that the divine nature took the place of
216 luthkr's church postHv.
the soul in him. Manichaeus taught that Christ did not have
true, natural flesh, but was only an apparition, passing through
his mother, Mary, without assuming her flesh and blood,
just as the sun shines through a glass, but does not assume
its nature. In opposition to all these the Evangelist uses a
comprehensive word, and says: *'He became flesh," that is,
a man like every other man, who has flesh and blood, body and
soul.
117. Thus the Scriptures, one part after another, had
to be tried and confirmed, until the time of the Antichrist,
who suppressed them not in parts, but in their entirety. For
it has been prophesied that at the time of Antichrist all
heresy should be united into one parasitic whole and devour
the world. This could not have happened at a better time
than when the Pope set aside the whole Scriptures, and in
their place set up his own law. Therefore bishops are now
no more heretics, nor can they become heretics ; for they have
no part of the book by which heretics are made, to wit, the
Gospel. They have piled up all heresy within and among
themselves.
118. In times past, heretics, however bad they were, still
remained in the Scriptures, and left some parts intact. But
what is left since this divine birth and faith are no more
acknowledged and preached, and in their stead only human
law and works? What matters it, whether Christ is God
or not God, whether he was flesh or a mere apparition, whether
he had a soul or not, whether he had come before or after his
mother, or whether all error and heresy which have ever been,
would prevail ? We would have no more of him than all those
heretics and do not need him. He seems to have become man
in vain, and all things written about him seem to be to no pur-
pose, because we have ourselves found a way by which we may
by our own works come to the grace of God !
119. Therefore there is no diflference between our bishops
and all heretics that have ever lived, except this that we name
Christ with our mouth and pen, for the sake of appearance. But
among ourselves we speak of him, and are as little benefited by
him, as though he were one with whom all heretics might play
tiie fool. Thus St. Peter has prophecied and said: *'These
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 217
shall be false teachers among you, who shall privily bring in
destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought
them." (2 Peter 2, 1).
120. \Miat does it profit, though Christ be not what the
heretics make him, if he is no more to us than to them, and
does no more for us? What does it profit to condemn the
heretics, and know Christ aright, if we have no different faith
in him than they had? I see no reason for the need of Christ,
if I am able to attain grace by my works. It is not necessary
for him to be God and man. In short all that is written about
him is unnecessary ; it would be sufficient to preach God alone,
as the Jews believe, and then obtain his grace by means of my
works. What more would I want? What more would I neel?
121. Christ and the Scriptures are not necessary, as long
as the doctrine of the pope and his schools exist. Therefore
I have said that pope, bishops, and schools are not good enough
to be heretics ; but they surpass all heretics, and are the dregs
of all heresies, errors, and idolatry from the begining, be-
cause they entirely suppress Christ and the Word of God,
and only retain their names for appearance's sake. This no
idolator, no heretic, no Jew has ever done, not even the Turk
with all his violent acts. And although the heathen were
without the Scriptures and without Christ before his birth, yet
they did not oppose him and the Scriptures, as these do.
Therefore they were far better than the Papists.
122. Let us be wise in these times in which Anti-Christ
is powerful, and let us cling to the Gospel, which does not
teach us that reason is our light, as men teach us, but which
presents Christ as indispensable to our salvation, and says :
The Word, by which all things were made, is life, and the
life is the light of men. Firmly believe that Christ is the Light
of men, that without him all is darkness in man, so that he is
unable to know what to do or how to act, to say nothing about
being able to attain the grace of God by his own works, as
the foolish schools with their idol, the Pope, teach and deceive
all the world.
123. He came that he might become the Light of men,
that is, that he might become known ; he showed himself bodily
218 i^utiier's church postil.
and personally among men and was made man. He Is the
light on the candle-stick. The lost piece of money did not of
i'cself and with light in hand go after and seek the lighted
candle, but the candle with its light sought the piece of money
and found it ; it has swept the house of this whole world in
every nook and corner with its broom ; and it continues to seek,
sweep and find even until the last day.
124. But that the Word and not the Father was made
flesh, and that both are one complete, true God, is a great
mystery. Yet faith apprehends it all, and it is proper that
reason should not apprehend it ; it happened and is written that
reason should not apprehend it, but become altogether blind,
dazzled and stupefied, changing from its old false light into
the new light.
125. Yet this article is not opposed to the light of reason,
which says that we must serve God, believe, and be pious,
which accords with this article. But if reason is called on to
say exactly who this God is, it is startled and says : "This is
not God," and so makes a God according to its fancy. There-
fore when it is informed that this Word is God and that
the Father is the same God, it doubts, hesitates and imagines
the article to be wrong and untrue, continues in its conceit
and fancy, and thinks it knows better what God is and who he
is than any one else.
126. Thus the Jews continue in their opinion, and do not
doubt at all that God is to be believed and honored ; but who
this God is, they explain according to their own fancy, claim
to be masters themselves, and even make God a liar. See then,
thus reason does to all of God's works and words, continues
to cry that God's work and Word are to be honored, but claims
that it is its privilege and judgment to say what is God's
work and Word. It would judge God in all his works and
words, but is unwilling to be judged by him. What God is or
is not, must be according to its [caprice.
127. Consider whether God does not justly express his
anger in the Scriptures against such immeasurable wickedness,
whether he does not rightly prefer open sinners to such saints.
What would vou think more vexatious than such wicked
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 219
presumptuous?! say this that we may recognize the delicious
fruit to \vhich the pope and his schools attribute so much, and
which of itself and by its own exertions, w^ithout Christ, pro-
vides the grace of God. They are God's greatest enemies,
and w^ould annihilate him, in order that they might be God
themselves, and succeed in making men believe that the grace
of God is obtained as they prescribe. This surely is real
darkness.
128. See, in this way reason must make idols, and can-
not do otherwise ; it knows very well how to talk of God's
honor, but goes and bestows the same honor on him whom it
fancies to be God. Such a one is certainly not God, but is
reason's fancy and error, of which the prophets in various
w^ays complained. Nor does it improve the matter, if any
one were to say, as the jews do : "Yes, I mean the God w^ho has
created the heavens and the earth ; here I cannot be mistaken,
and must be right." In Isaiah 48, 1 God himself answers :
"Hear ye this, who swear by the name of Jehovah, and make
mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in right-
eousness." And Jeremiah 5, 2 says : "And though they say, as
Jehovah liveth; surely they sw^ear falsely."
129. How is this to be accounted for? It happens thus that
he who does not accept God in the particular manner in
which God has revealed himself, will profit nothing, if he
afterwards accepts God in the manner w-hich he has selected
for himself. If Abraham had said that it w^as neither God
nor God's work that commanded him to sacrifice his son Isaac,
but would have followed his reason and have said he would
not sacrifice his son, but would serve the God who made
heaven and earth in some other way, what would it have pro-
fited him? He would have lied; for he would in that very
thing have rejected the God who created the heavens and
the earth, and would have devised another God, under the
name of the God who had created the heavens and the earth,
and would have despised the true God, who had given him
the command.
130. Behold, thus they all lie w-ho say, they mean the true
God who created the heavens and the earth, and vet do not
220 Luther's church postil.
accept his work and Word, but exalt their own opinion above
God and his Word. If we truly believed in the God who
had created heaven and earth, they would also know that the
same God is a creator of their imagination, makes, breaks and
judges it as he pleases. But as they do not allow him to be a
creator of themselves and their fancies even in a small degree,
it cannot be true that they believe him to be the creator of all
creation.
131. Perhaps you will say: What if I were deceived, and
he were not God ? I answer : Do not worry, dear soul ; a heart
that does not trust in its own fancy God will not allow to be
deceived ; for it is not possible that he should not enter such
a heart and dwell there. Mary says : "He hath filled the hung-
ry w4th good things," Luke 1,53. The Psalmist says: "He
satisfieth the longing soul," Ps. 107, 9. But if any is deceived
it is certain that he trusted in his own fancy, either secretly or
openly. Therefore a hungry soul always stands in fear in those
things that are uncertain, whether they be of God. But self-
conceited persons are immediately taken with them, thinking
it sufficient if the things glitter and take their fancy. Again
what is certain to be of God, the simple accept at once, but the
arrogant persecute it.
132. Now there is no surer sign of a thing of God than
that it is against or beyond our fancy. Likewise the arrogant
think, there is no surer sign that a thing is not of God than that
it is against their fancy. For they are makers and masters
of God, and so make those things God and of God which ac-
cord with their fancy. Therefore all those who depend upon
themselves must be deceived, and all those who are simple-
minded, and not preoccupied with themselves, are safe; they
are they who keep the true Sabbath. Where this fancy goes
so far as to employ the Word of God in defence of its ar-
rogance and to apply the Scriptures according to its own light,
there is neither hope nor help. Such people think the Word
of God on their side, and they must safeguard it. This is the
last fall, and is the real mischief of Lucifer, of whom Solomon
speaks : "A righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up
again ; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity." Prov.
24, 16.
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 221
133. Of this there is now enough ; let us come back again
to the Gospel. John says : "And the Word became flesh, and
dwelt among us ;" that is, he lived among men upon earth, as
other men do. Even though he was God, he became a citizen
of Nazareth and Capernaum, and conducted himself as other
men did. Thus St. Paul says : *'Who, existing in the form of
God, counted not the being man equality with a thing to be
grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,
being made in the likeness of men ; and being found in fashion
as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto
death, yea, the death of the cross." Phil. 2, G-8.
134. Now this "likeness" and "dwelling" of Christ must
not be understood of his human nature, in which he has been
made like unto men. But these words must be understood as
referring to his external being and mode of living such as eat-
ing, drinking, sleeping, walking, working, resting, hearth and
home, walking, and standing, and all human conduct and
deportment, by which no one could recognize him as God, had
he not been so proclaimed by John in the Gospel.
IV. THE RE\^ELATION OF CHRIST'S GLORY.
135. He says further: "We behold his glory," that is, his
divinity through his miracles and teachings. The word "glory"
we have heard before in the Epistle, where it was said of
Christ, that Christ is the "brightness of the Father's glory,"
which means his divinity. Our word "glory" comes from the
Latin "gloria." The corresponding word in Hebrew is "Ca-
bod" and the Greek word is "Doxa." Thus we speak of a
ruler or a great man having achieved an accomplishment with
great glory, and that everything passed off gloriously, when
it has passed- off well, successfully, and bravely.
Glory does not only mean a great repute, or far-famed
honor, but it means also the things which give occasion for the
fame, such as costly houses, vessels, clothes, servants, and
the like, as Christ says of Solomon: "Consider the liHes
of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they
spin; yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these/' Math. 6,28-29. In the
222 IvUTHER^S CHURCH POSTH,.
book of Esther we read : "King Ahasuerus made a great feast
when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom,"
1,8-4. Thus we say: This is a glorious thing, a glorious
manner, a glorious deed, "gloriosa res". This is also what the
Evangelist means when he says: "We have seen his glory,"
to wit, his glorious being and deeds, which are not an insignifi-
cant, common glory, but the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father.
136. Here he expresses who the Word is, of whom he and
Piloses have been speaking, namely, the only begotten Son of
God, who has all the glory of the Father. He calls him the
only begotten, so as to distinguish him from all the children of
God, who are not natural children as this one is. With these
words is shown his true divinity; for if he were not God, he
could not in preference to others be called the only begotten
Son, which is to say that he and no other is the Son of God.
This can not be said of angels and pious men. For not one
of them is the Son of God, but are all brethren and creatures
of a like creation, children elected by grace, and not children
born out of God's nature.
137. But the expression, "We beheld his glory", does not
refer only to bodily sight ; for the Jews also saw his glory, but
did not regard it as the glory of the only begotten Son of God :
it refers to the sight of the faithful, who believe it in their
hearts. Unbelievers, who beheld only the worldly glory, did
not notice this divine glory. Nor can these two tolerate each
other. He that would be glorious before the world for God's
sake, will be glorious before God.
"Pull of Grace and Truth/'
138. These two words are commonly used together in the
Scriptures. "Grace" means that whatsoever Christ does is ever
pleasing and right. Furthermore, in man there is only disfavor
and guile ; all that he does is displeasing to God. In fact, he
is fundamentally untrue and puts on a vain show, as thQ Psalm-
ist says: "All men are liars", 116,11. And again: "Surely
every man at his best estate is altogether vanity," Ps. 39, 5.
1 39. This passage is opposed to the presumptuous Papists
THIRD CHRISTMAS DAY. 223
and Pelagians, who find something outside of Christ, which
they claim is good and true; and yet in Christ alone is grace
and truth. It is Indeed true, as has been said above, that there
are some things outside of Christ which are true and pleasing,
as the natural light, which teaches that three and two are
five, that God should be honored, and the like.
But this light never accomplishes its end ; for as soon as
reason is to act, and make use of its light, and exercise it, it
confuses everything, calls that which is good bad, and that
which is bad good ; calls that the honor of God which is his dis-
honor, and vice versa. Therefore man is only a liar and vain,
and rmable to make use of this natural light except against
God, as we have already said.
140. It is unnecessary to look for the armor in this Gos-
pel; it is all armor and the chief part, upon which is founded
the article of faith that Christ is true God and true man, and
that without Grace, nature, free will, and works are nothing
but deception, sin, error and heresy in spite of Papists and
Pelagians.
224 i^utiier's church postii..
ST. STEPHEN'S DAY.
This sermon appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,228; W. 11,280;
St. L. 11,204.
Text: Math. ^3,34-39- Therefore, behold, I send unto you
prophets, and zvise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill
and crucify; and some of them shall yc scourge in your syna-
gogues, and persecute from city to city: that upon yon may
come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood
of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Bara-
chiah, zvhom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar. Verily
I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kille th the prophets, and ston-
eth them that are sent unto her! hoiv often ivould I have
gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and ye zvould not! Behold, your
house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, ye shall
not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord.
CONTENTS: THE TEACHING CONCERNING REASON
AND OUR NATURAL LIGHT; FOUR QUESTIONS;
AND THE TEACHING CONCERNING FAITH.
I. THE TEACHING CONCERN- II. FOUR QUESTIONS.
ING REASON AND OUR I. The First Question.
NATURAL LIGHT. 1. Tiie question. 10.
I. Our Reason and Natural Light 2. Its answer. 11.
Are Stubborn Things. 1. II, The Second Question.
2. God Accomplishes Nothing 1. The question. 12.
With Reason, Neither 2. Its answer. 13.
Through The Spoken Word, IIL The Third Question.
Nor Through The Written 1. The question. 14.
Word, Nor Through Any II- 2. Its answer. 15.
lumination. 2-6. IV. The Fourth Question.
* The nature of the prophets. 3. 1. The question. 16.
* The nature of the wise men. 2. Its answer. 17-18.
4. IIL THE TEACHING CONCERN-
* The nature of the scribes or ING FAITH.
writers. 5. I. How Faith Is Set Forth By A
* The contention of true and Very Beautiful Picture And
false saints concerning the Parable.
right worship of God. 6-9. 1. What moved Christ to set
ST. ste:phe:n's day. 225
forth faith undei' this beau- b. To what end Christ serves
tiful picture. 19. us. 24-27.
2. How this part of the Gosrel u, v.Hiere Faith Is Not Acknow-
a. HOW we are to conduct our- ^^f ged As Necessary To Sal-
selves in our relations to ration, Severe Punishments
Christ. 20-23. Follow. 27-31.
Doctrine Concerning- Faith. III. How A Consolation For The
32-33. Jews Is Attached To This
I. THE TEACHING CONCERNING REASON AND
NATURAL LIGHT.
i. This Gospel is severe against the persecutors of faith.
Yet, the severer it is against them, the more comforting it is
to the believers who are persecuted. It teaches how obstinate
the natural light, our own fancy and reason is ; for when it falls
into works and commands, it no longer listens to any one, as is
set forth in the following Gospel. But the work and fancy of
reason claim to be in the right, and it does not matter how
much is preached, how many prophets God sends to her; all
must be persecuted and put to death, that oppose the great red
murderess, as she is pictured in Revelation of St. John 17, 4.
Here she is called Babylon the Great, the Alother of Harlots,
arrayed in purple and scarlet, sitting upon a beast, that was also
red, and having in her hand a golden cup full of the abomina-
tions and the unclean things of her fornications, that is, the
teachings of men, by which she leads pure believing souls from
faith and puts them to shame and strangles every one that tries
to restrain her.
2. Such stiff-ne<:ked murderous obstinacy is set forth in
this Gospel ; first, in that God tries to convert her in every way
possible, sends to her all kinds of preachers, who are mentioned
by three names ; prophets, wise men, and scribes.
3. The prophets are those who preach, being moved only by
the Holy Spirit, who have not taken their sermon from the
Scriptures or from human reason, as were Moses and Amos.
And these men are the highest and the best, they are wise,
and they make others wise, write Scriptures, and explain them.
Such were nearly all the fathers before and at the time of
Moses, and also many after him, especially the apostles, who
were laymen and common uneducated people, as Luke says in
Acts 4, 13: They were unlearned in the Scriptures.
226 luTher's church postil.
4. The wise men are those who have received their message
not only from God but also through the Scriptures and of men,
and they are the disciples and followers of the prophets, but
they themselves also preach and teach with their mouth and in
living words. Such an one was Aaron, who spoke everything
that Moses told him as we read in Exodus 4, 15-16, that God
says to Moses : "Thou shalt put my words in his mouth ; and
he shall be thy spokesman unto the people, and thou shall be
to him as God." So also all the priests are to be wise men, as
we read in the eleventh chapter of Zechariah.
5. The writers or scribes are those who teach by means
of writings and books, when they cannot teach in person
or by the word of their mouth. Such men were also the
apostles, and before them the Evangelists and their followers,
and also the holy fathers ; however, they do not write about or
treat of their own imaginations, but of God's Word, which they,
have learned from the wise men and out of the Scriptures.
These now are the three ways by which the truth may be re-
vealed: by writing, by word, by thought; by the writing in
books, by the words of their mouth, by thoughts of the heart.
One can not in any other way grasp instruction save with
the heart, the mouth, and writings.
6. Now all this is of no avail with obstinate reason; she
listens neither to words, writings, nor to enlightenment, with
which God tries to convert her. The writings and books she
suppresses and burns as the King Jehudi did with the books
of Jeremiah, Jer. 86, 23. Reason forbids, silences and condemns
words ; enlightenment she banishes and slays together with the
prophets. And it is remarkable that no prophet has been slain,
banished, or persecuted, because he reproved the coarse sins of
the people except John the Baptist, whom Herodias permitted
to be put to death, because he had reproved the sin of her
adultery. Such a great man had to die for the most disgraceful
reason. Still the Jews also did not hate him because of this one
fact, but because he had reproved their sins also, and therefore
they said that he had a devil.
7. In like manner there has ever been numberless disputes
ST. stejphivn's day. 227
about true and false worship. Abel was slain by Cain in order
tliat his worship might not be acknowledged byGod. In like man-
ner have all the prophets, the wise and the educated, reproved
that worship of God as idolatry, which springs from reason
and human works, being without any faith; natural reason
came and said that this worship was done for the honor of God
and was right. Therefore the prophets had to die as such who
prohibited and reproved the service and honor of God and
good works ; as Christ says in John 16, 2, "Yea, the hour
cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth
service unto God." In like manner all the idolatry of the Old
Testament was started by them not because they wished to bow
down to wood and stones, but because they thereby wished to
worship the true God. Since, however, God had forbidden
this, and since this had been a creation of their own fancy, in-
dependent of faith, it was certainly of Satan and not of God.
Therefore the prophet said that this was not a service of God
but one of idols. This, however, they would not suffer nor
listen to, and so, according to God's command, the prophets did
not dare to be silent, hence they therefore had to die, be ban-
ished, and persecuted.
8. Therefore the whole dispute consists in this, that the
false saints quarrelled with the true saints about the worship
of God and good works, the former saying this is divine wor-
ship; the latter saying no, it is idolatry and unbelief. Thus
it has been from the beginning, and it will also continue unto
the end.
9. This same thing we see even in our day; the Papists
themselves have devised good works and divine worship with
their outward deeds and laws, all of which, however, are faith-
less things, founded only upon works and without God's com-
mand, mere human prattle. So we say, they do not serve God,
but themselves and Satan, as is the case with all idolatry ; and
they only mislead the people from their Christian faith antv
common brother love ; but they will not suffer us to say that,
and thus begins the misery that reigns now. Both agree that
they are to serve God and do good works ; but as to the defini-
tion, what is the service of God and s^ood works, thev will
228 Luther's church postil.
never agree. For these say, faith is nothing, nature with her
works is good and right. Moreover, they also agreed that
the open coarse sins, as murder, adultery, and robbery are not
right; but in the principal works that pertain to divine wor-
ship, there they separate as far from one another as winter is
from summer. The first hold to God and his mercy, and fear
him ; the others run to wood and stones, food and clothing, days
and seasons and wish to win the favor of God by building, by
bequests, by fastings, by their blaring voices and by their
shaven heads. They fear nothing, are impudent and full of
every kind of presumption. Oh ! what a holy, wise, learned
people, for whom God himself is neither sufficiently holy, wise
nor learned, with all his prophets, wise men and scribes.
II. FOUR QUESTIONS.
10. There are several questions which arise in this Gospe!
that we must examine. The first is. Why does Christ say that
all the righteous blood from Abel on shall come upon the Jews,
since they have not shed it all?
11. The answer is, that the words of Christ are directed to
the whole multitude and to the whole generation of all those
who from the beginning on have persecuted the prophets. This
is proved by the fact that he addressed not only those of his
own time but entire Jerusalem: ''O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto
her ! how often would I have gathered thy children together,"
etc. This applies not only to the present, but also to the
previous inhabitants of Jerusalem. Likewise, when he says, ye
slew Zachariah between the sanctuary and the altar, yet this
Zachariah was slain by the King Joash (2 Chron. 24, 21) over
800 years before Christ's birth, and still he says, you have slain
him. Likewise, they have also put to death Abel and will put
to death the prophets and the wise men. As if he would say
they are one people, one class, one generation ; as the fathers
so also the children. For the stiffneckedness that contended
against God and his prophets in the time of the fathers, also
contends in their children; the mouse is like its mother. And
ST. ste^phkn's day. 229
when the Lord says that all the righteous blood shall come
upon them, he means to say as much as, the people must shed
all righteous blood, it is their nature to do so, they cannot do
otherwise. All blood that is shed, they shed, therefore will all
blood come upon them.
12. But why does he cite only these two, Abel and Zacha-
riah? Zachariah was not the last whose blood was shed, but
after him Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Uriah, and Micah, and
nearly all those who received a divine call in the Scriptures.
And indeed, Zachariah is the first among the prophets whose
martyrdom is mentioned by name in the Scriptures. However,
Christ does not speak here only of the prophets, but of the
blood of all the righteous, of whom there were many under
King Saul ; likewise many prophets, whose names are not men-
tioned, were put to death under King Ahab.
13. In answer to this question I can say nothing except
that Christ here holds to the usage of Scripture and places be-
fore us an example how we ought not to speak, hold, or men-
tion what is not founded in the Scriptures. For although
Isaiah and other prophets have been put to death, yet we find
no mention in the Scriptures of the manner of death of any
one after Zachariah. And thus, though he was not the last
whose blood was shed, yet he is the last who is described by
name how he preached in his days and suffered death. Thus
Christ cites the first and the last righteous person, mentioned
in the Scriptures, and thereby other righteous blood that was
not mentioned, yet was shed before and after them. It has
indeed been written of Uriah the prophet in Jer. 26, 23, that
he was slain by King Jehoiakim long after Zachariah ; but this
is told by others as a story which occured long ago. But at
his time the Scriptures say nothing about him, they do not
even mention that he ever lived, although they describe the time
and history of the same king in the history of 2 Chron. 36, 4ff ;
2 Kings 24, Iff. Therefore the Lord does not speak of him.
14. It is also asked : Why does Christ mention the son of
Barachiah, since the Scriptures call him the son of Jehoiada;
for thus the text reads in 2 Chron. 24, 20-21, "And the Spirit of
230 i.uthi'R's church postil.
God came upon Zacharlah the son of Jehoiada the priest;
and he stood above the people, and said unto them. Thus saith
God, Why transgress ye the commandments of Jehovah, so
that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken Jehovah, he
hath also forsaken you, And they conspired against him, and
stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the
court of the house of Jehovah." When he died he said, "Jeho-
vah, look upon it, and require it." He also was killed, because
he reproved the worship they had established.
15. St. Jerome thinks he was called the son of Zachariah
for spiritual reasons, because Zachariah means in Latin bene-
dictus, the blessed. But others speak more lightly and say, that
his father Jehoiada received the additional name of Barachiah
because he did great good to the King and the people. There-
fore they called him the blessed and after his death, out of
gratitude, put his son to death ; as is the way of the w^orld ac-
cording to the saying : Whoever helps another off the gallows
him the other will help on again. Thus it happened to the Son
of God. After God had done nothing but good for the whole
world, they crucified his dear beloved Son, as is typified in this
story.
16. Finally it is asked: No one can withstand God's will,
why then does he say: "How often would I have gathered
thy children together, and ye would not?" This passage has
been interpreted in various ways. Some have founded it upon
the free will and its ability, so that it really appears that not
free will but obstinate will is reproved, and that it is base liberty
that is only contrary to God, and is so severely condemned and
reproved.
17. St. Augustine forces the words to apply to reason, as
if the Lord means to say very much, thus : "As many of thy
children as I have gathered I have gathered against thy will.
But such an interpretation of this simple passage is too forced.
It could be much more easily understood, if one said: Christ
speaks here as a man, who has taken all human care upon him-
self. He did very much as to his human nature that did not
become his divinity; for example, that he had to eat, drink,
ST. ste:phen's day. ^31
sleep, walk, weep, suffer, and die. So one could say here that
he spoke after the manner of our human nature and its emo-
tions : I would, but ye would not.
18. For, as I have often said, we must give special atten-
tion to the words of Christ, some of which refer to his divine,
others only to his human nature. But here he introduces
himself to us as God, since he says, "I send unto you prophets"
etc. ; for the sending of prophets is a work that belongs to
God alone. And Luke 11, 49 says he spoke thus: "Therefore
also said the wisdom of God, I will send unto them prophets"
etc. ^.loreover, his words read as if he not only wished to
gather his children at the present time, but had also often
wished to do so in the past, so that this is to be understood as
referring to the divine will. Therefore we shall answer thus :
These words are to be understood in the plainest and simplest
manner as referring to the divine will, according to the usage
of Scripture, which speaks of God as of a man for the sake of
the simple minded ; as we read In Gen. 6, 6 that it repented
Jehovah that he had made man on the earth, and yet there is
no repentance in God. Also, that he was angry, yet in God
there is no human anger. Likewise Gen. 11,5, that he came
down from heaven and saw the building of the tower at Bab-
ylon, yet he remains ever sitting on his throne. And in Psalm
59,5-6, the prophet often says : "Awake, why sleepest thou so
long?" Again: Arise, come to me, and similar passages; and
yet he sleeps not, lies not down, is not far away. Again, Ps.
1,6: "Jehovah knoweth not the way of the unrighteous," yet
he knows all things. All these passages are uttered in harmony
with our feelings and fancy, and not according to the real state
of the divine nature. Therefore they are not to be perverted
by lofty speculation as utterances of the divine nature; but
should be understood as spoken to common people here upon
earth according to our human understanding. For we are to
feel that he does just as the words read ; and this is a beautiful
and comforting way to think of God, one which is neither ter-
rifying nor difficult to understand. Thus also: "How often
would I," is also to be understood as meaning that he acted so
282 Luther's church postil.
that no one could think or feel otherwise than that he would
gladly gather them, did gatner them, as a man might do who
eagerly wished to do such a thing. Therefore dismiss high
things and remain by the milk and simple meaning of the
Scriptures
III. THE TEACHING CONCERNING FAITH.
19. In order, however, that we may all take our doctrine
out of the Gospel, the Lord has given us here a lovely picture
and parable of what he does for the sake of faith and believers
so that I do not know of a more beautiful passage in all
the Scriptures. He spoke in his anger and indignation very
severe words to the Jews in this chapter, and pronounced his
terrible woe upon their unbelief; therefore he does, as angry
men are accustomed to do, and speaks to those ungrateful of his
good acts and good will in the strongest terms possible ; namely
thus : I would gladly have imparted the heart in my body to
them etc. Thus also the Lord here, in the most hearty way
possible, emphasizes his good will and favor to the Jews, and
says he would have gladly been their mother hen had they
wished to be his little chickens.
20. Oh man ! note well these words and this parable, how
he pours it forth with great earnestness and with his whole
soul. In this picture you will see, how you are to conduct your-
self towards Christ and to what end he is of benefit to you,
how you should make use of him and enjoy him. Behold the
hen and her chickens, and there you see Christ and yourself
painted and portrayed better than any painter can portray
them.
2L In the first place, it is certain that our souls are the
chickens ; and Satan and wicked spirits are the buzzards in the
air; with only this exception that we are not as wise as the
chickens to flee under our hen. The spirits of Satan are more
subtle to rob us of our souls than the buzzards are to steal the
chickens. Now it was said before in an Epistle hov/ it is not
sufficient that we are pious, do good works, and live in grace.
For our righteousness cannot stand before God's eyes and
ST. Stephen's day. 233
judgment, much less our unrighteousness. Therefore I have
said : Faith, if it is true faith, is of such a nature that it does
not rely upon itself nor upon the faith; but holds to Christ,
and takes refuge under his righteousness; and he lets this
righteousness be its shield and protection just like the little
chicken never trusts in its own life and efforts, but takes re-
fuge under the body and wings of the hen.
22. It is not sufficient for one who is to stand before the
judgment of God, to say, I believe and have grace; for all
that is within him is not able to protect him; but he proffers
to this judgment Christ's own righteousness which he per-
mits to plead for him at the judgment seat of God. This stands
in all honor before him forever, as Ps. 111,3, and Ps. 112,
3, say: "His righteousness endureth forever." Under this
righteousness he creeps, crouches, and stoops, he confides in
Christ's righteousness and believes without the least doubt
that it will sustain him and so it really comes to pass that
he will be sustained by the same faith, not for his sake nor
for the sake of such faith, but for the sake of Christ and his
righteousness under which he takes refuge. Moreover faith
that does not this, is not true faith. See that is the meaning
of the Scriptures when they say in Ps. 91, 1-7, ''He that
dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide un-
der the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Jehovah, he is
my refuge and m}- fortress; my God, in whom I trust. For
he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the
deadly pestilence. He will cover thee with his pinions, and
under his wings shalt thou take refuge ; his truth is a shield
and a buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by
night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; for the pestilence
that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth
at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand
at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."
23. Behold all this is spoken concerning faith in Christ,
how it alone will stand and protect us from all danger and
ruin, false doctrine, bodily and spiritual temptations of Satan,
on the right hand and on the left, so that all others must fall
234 luthkr's church postii..
and perish, because they do not take refuge under the wing and
shoulders of Christ and there find shelter and anchor their
trust. In like manner IMalachi 4, 2, says : ''But unto you that
fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing
in its wings ;" therefore St. Paul calls him in Romans, 3, 25,
our propitiation, the throne of grace, and teaches everywhere
how we must be sustained through him and under him. If then
believers and saints are in need of such a great shield, what
will become of those wdio go ahead with their own free will and
their own good works, independent of Christ ? Oh ! we must
remain in Christ, upon Christ and under Christ, never stray
from our mother hen, or all is lost. St. Peter says in his first
Epistle 4, 8 : ''The righteous is scarcely saved ;" so hard it is
to abide under this hen. For many dififerent temptations,
temporal and spiritual, tear us from her; as the Psalm abo-\'e
points out.
24. Now notice how the natural clucking hen acts ; hardly
any other creature is so anxious about her young. She changes
her natural voice and takes a pitiable and complaining voice ;
she seeks, scratches, and calls her little chickens; when she
finds anything, she does not eat it herself, she leaves it for
her little ones ; with all earnestness she battles and cries against
the buzzard, and spreads her wings out so willingly and lets
her chicks crawl under and upon her, and gladly sufifers them
to stay there. This is indeed a lovely picture. So it is also
with Christ. He has changed his voice to a pitiable tone, has
sighed for us and preached repentance, pointed out to every-
one their sins and misery, he scratches in the Scriptures and
calls us unto them and permits us to eat ; he spreads his wings
with all his righteousness, merit and grace over us, and takes
us so lovingly under his protection, warms us with his own
natural heat, that is, with his Holy Spirit, who alone comes
through him, and fights for us against the devil in the air.
25. Where and how does he do this? Without doubt he
does it not bodily, but spiritually. His two wings are the
two Testaments of the holy Scriptures; they spread over us
his righteousness and bring us under his protection. This
ST. stdphdn's day. 235
takes place in that the Scriptures teach this and nothing else,
how Christ is such a mother hen, how we are to be sustained
in faith under him and through his righteousness. Therefore
the Psalm mentioned above, explains the wings and shoulders,
and says; "his faithfulness or truth", that is, the Scriptures
embraced by faith ''are a shield and a buckler" against all
fear and danger. For we must lay hold of Christ in his Word
and in the preaching of it and cleave to the same with a firm
faith that he is just as is spoken now of him ; then we are
certainly in him, under his wings and truth, and shall be also
well sustained under him,
26. This Gospel therefore is also his wings or truth as well
as all other Gospels ; for they all teach Christ in this manner,
yet in some places clearer than in others. Heretofore he was
called a light and Hfe ; also a Lord and helper, novv' he is called
a mother hen, and the emphasis is continually laid upon faith.
Thus his body is himself, or the Christian church ; his warmth,
his grace and the Holy Spirit.
27. Behold, the church is the most loving hen, who is al-
ways anxious to gather us tmder her protection; she spreads
her wings out and calls, that is, she preaches and lets both Test-
aments be preached, sends out prophets, wise men, and scribes
to Jerusalem, yea into all the world. But what happens ? We
will not be her chickens ; above all, the proud saints, who con-
tended against her especially with their good works, who had
no desire to know anything about faith, that it is so greatly
needed and so blessed ; and who neither know anything of their
danger nor admit their doings to be unrighteous ; yea, they
themselves therefore become buzzards and swine, they devour
and persecute the chickens along with their mother, tear their
wings and body, slay the prophets, and stone those who are
sent unto them. But what will be their reward? Listen, ter-
rible things :
"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."
28. Oh ! a terrible visitation ! which is also illustrated in
the instance of the Jews. They killed the prophets so long that
God sent them no more; he suffered them to be without any
236 Luther's church posth..
preaching, without any prophets 1,500 years, he took his Word
from them and his wings he drew to himself. And thus their
house is left desolate and no one builds up their souls, God no
longer dwells among them. It has happened to them as they
wished; as Ps. 109, 17 says concerning them: "Yea, he loved
cursing, and it came unto him ; and he delighted not in blessing,
and it was far from him." Here all the righteous blood shed
upon the earth is come upon them, and this Gospel is fulfilled
in them.
29. In like manner also Isaiah 5, 5-6, speaks of them :
*'And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I
will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up ; I will
break the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I
will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor hoed; but there
shall come up briers and thorns : I will also command the ;clouds
that they rain no rain upon it." Terrible words ! What can it
mean that no rain shall come upon them, except that they
should not hear the Gospel and learn of faith? They shall be
neither pruned nor cultivated. What can this mean, except
that no one shall punish them in their error and make manifest
their transgressions? Therefore the vineyard is left to the
doctrines of men, these tear and trample it under foot so that
it must remain desolate, brings forth nothing but briars and
thorns, that is, workrighteous people, who are without faith.
They bear no fruit of the Spirit, but they grow and are pre-
pared only for eternal fire.
30. However, all this we Gentiles may also take well to
heart. We have also persecuted our mother hen and have not
continued in faith. Therefore it has also happened to us that
God has left our house lie desolate and our vineyard is for-
saken. There is no longer any rain in all the world, the Gos-
pel and faith are put to silence ; here there is neither pruning
nor grubbing; no one preaches against false works and the
doctrines of men, and prunes off such unnecessary things ; but
he permits us to be torn and trodden under foot by the pope,
bishops, priests and monks of whom the whole world is full,
full, full ; and yet they do no more than trample down and tear
to pieces the vineyard. One who teaches this, another that, one
ST. STEPHEN'S DAY. 237
treads down this place and another that; everyone wishes to
estabHsh his own sect, his own order, his own calhng, his own
doctrine, his own point, his own works. By these we are so
trodden under foot that there is no longer any knowledge of
faith, no Christian life, no love, no fruit of the Spirit; but
mere firefuel, briars, and thorns, that is dissemblers, who
by virtue of their vigils, masses, endowments, bells, churches,
psalms, rosaries, saint-worship, celebrations, hoods, shaven-
heads, clothing, fastings, pilgrimages and numberless other
foolish works, presume to be Christians.
31. O, Lord God, we are too greatly torn to atoms, too
sorely crushed ; O, Christ, our Lord, we poor miserable people
are too desert-like and too forsaken in these last days of thy
wrath. Our shepherds are wolves, our watchmen traitors,
our protectors enemies, our fathers murderers, and our teachers
mislead us. Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! When, when, when will thy severe
wrath have an end?
32. Finally comfort is spoken here to the Jews, when the
Evangelist adds : "Verily I say unto you. Ye shall not see me
henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that Cometh in the
name of the Lord". Christ spake these words on Tuesday,
after Palm Sunday, and they form the couclusion and the last
words of his preaching upon earth ; hence they are not yet
fulfilled but they must be fulfilled. True they did once receive
him on Palm Sunday, but these words were not fulfilled on that
occasion. ''Ye shall not see me henceforth" is not to be under-
stood in the sense that they never saw him afterwards in the
body, because they did, in that they afterwards crucified him.
He means, they shall not see him again as a preacher and as
Christ, to which end he was sent; his ofiice and he in his
office were never seen again by them. In this he gave them
his last, his farewell, sermon, and his office, for which he came,
was now closed.
33. Thus it is certain, that the Jews* nuist yet say to Christ,
*In the edition of Luther's works after 1546, the following text
is found: "These passages all speak of the last times, when the
Jewish Kingdom and the true priesthood are to be established so
that many Jews would be converted unto the true King and Priest,
238 i.uthe:r's church postil.
"Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." This
very truth Moses proclaimed in Deut. 4, 30-31 : "In the latter
days thou shalt return to Jehovah thy God, and hearken unto
his voice ; for Jehovah thy God is a merciful God ; he will not
fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy
fathers which he sware unto them/' It was also preached in
Hos. 3, 4-5 : "The children of Israel shall abide many days
without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and
without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim : afterward shall
the children of Israel return, and seek Jehovah their God, aiul
David their king, and shall come with fear unto Jehovah and
to his goodness in the latter days." Likewise Azariah declared
this truth in 2 Chron. 15, 2-5 thus: "If ye forsake Jehovah, he
will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel was without
the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law ;
but when in their distress they turned unto Jehovah, the God
of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them." This pas-
sage cannot be understood as referring to the Jews of the
present time: They were never before without princes, with-
out prophets, without priests, and without teachers and the law,
St. Paul in Rom. 11,25-26 agrees with this thought and says:
'•A hardening in part hath befallen Israel until the fulness of
the Gentiles be come in ; and so all Israel shall be saved." God
grant that this time may be near at hand, as we hope it is.
Amen.
Christ; which came to pass after Christ's ascension, through the
Apostles, and later by the preaching of the Gospel. See Walch (old
edition) vol. 22, 23i5ff; Erlangen Edition 62 vol. 376p. Also in
this vol. Sermon for the 2nd Sunday in Advent §56.
DAY OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGi:LIST. 239
DAY OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST.
This sermon appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,243; W. 11,299;
St. h. 11,218.
Text: JoJin 21, ip-2/f. Nozi' thus he spake, signifying by
zvhat manlier of death he should glorify God. And when he had
spoken this, he saith unto him, PoIIozu nie. Peter, turning about,
seeth the disciple zvhoni Jesus loved follozving; zvho also leaned
back on his breast at the supper, and said. Lord zvho is he that
betray eth thee"^ Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord,
and zvhat shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him. If I zvill that
he tarry till I come, zvhat is that to thee? follozv thou me. This
saying therefore zvent forth among the brethren, that trtat dis-
ciple shotdd not die : yet Jesus said not unto him, that he should
not die; but. If I zvill that he tarry till I come, zvhat is that to
theef
This is the disciple that beareth zvitness of these things,
and zvrote these things : and zve knozv that his zvitness is true,
CONTENTS: TWO DOCTRINES, AND THE SPIRITUAL
MEANING OF THE GOSPEL.
I. THE TWO DOCTRINES. lay hold of this doctrine.
* Of The Deaths Of Peter and 18.
John. 1-2. IL The Second Doctrine Is That
I. The First Doctrine Is, That F'^^J'l S^f^^^^'^l^ P%S'''^'
Every One Is To Do What Is , tented With His Lot. 19.
Commanded Him, And Guard * O/ contentment and discon-
His Own Calling In Life. , ^ent. .
1 mi i 4.1 • J 4. • . 1- Contentment is a great vir-
1. That this doctrine is very ^ that many great people
necessary and wholesome. 3. ^^e in want of. 20.
2. How many people act contra- 2. Discontent is a very common
ry to this doctrine. 4-5. plague. 21-23.
* God's way goes tn the right 3. The origin of discontent,
course. 6. 23-24.
3. The objections raised by this 4. How discontent may be ban-
doctrine and their answers. ished, and contentment be
a. The first^ objection and its establisned and developed.
* OnTIhould^not look so much ■*■ ^y^what nieans many people
to works themselves as to ^^^^ ^^ adorn their discon-
one^ order Ind Coline ^^^^t. and what is to reply to
ones ordei and calling, ^j^^^^^ ^^ ^,^.g ^^.^^^ 26-28.
, rif" , . .. ^ .^ * Of the stations in life that are
b. The second objection and its ^q^ sinful 29-30.
answer. 15-16f. II, THE ^SPIRITUAL MEANING
4. An admonition earnestly to oF THIS GOSPEL,
240 Luther's church postil.
I The Spiritual Meaning- Jerome 3. That John did not lie on the
Gives, And An Opinion Of lap, but leaned on the breast
It 31-32 of Jesus. 37-38.
II. ^;he^Spiritual Meaning Luther 4. ^^at^^John^ask^s^^Chris^t. who
A. In General 33. ^. Thäf John does not mention
B. In Particular. him by name. 43.
1. That John is called the ß That John should tarry and
disciple of love. 34. Peter follow. 44.
2. That John leaned back on T. That Peter looks for John,
Jesus' breast. 35-36. and not John for Peter. 45.
1. When Christ asked Peter three times whether he loved
him, and Peter answered three times, "Yea, Lord ; thou knowest
that I love thee," he commended unto him three times his sheep
and said: "Feed my sheep." Immediately afterwards he an-
nounced to Peter his death, and says : "\'erily, verily, I say
unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and
walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old,
thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee,
and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." Closely joined to
this is to-day's Gospel: "Follow thou me," as if to say: Since
this is to be your lot, ponder it well and follow thou me and
yield willingly to death. It is evident enough that this follow-
ing signifies his death, and all the disciples understood it so,
and it is a lucid and easy Gospel.
2. However as some were greatly worried to know whether
St. John was dead or still alive, the Evangelist shows clearly
enough that Christ did not wish to let us know, therefore we
should not pry into the matter. He says: Jesus did not say
he should not die, neither does he say that he should -die. He
thus lets it hang in doubt. If Christ had said : I will that he
tarry till I come, it might have been understood that he would
die on the last day. Rut that he says, "If I will, that he tarry",
it is still much more in the dark, in that he does not say right
out whether he will or will not.
3. But in doing thus Christ taught us a beautifull and
touching lesson for the sake of which Christ dismissed Peter
in this manner.
THE TEACHING OF THIS GOSPEL.
The teaching is as follows : Nothwithstanding the exam-
DAY OF ST. JOHN THE: EVANGELIST. 241
pies and lives of all the saints every person should attend to
the work entrusted to him and guard the honor of his calling.
Oh, this is truly a needed and wholesome teaching. *'It is very
misleading, and it is almost universal, that we so highly
esteem the works and lives of the saints. If we wish to
imitate them, we think it to be a very precious work to do
so. The useless babblers aid and urge this, who preach the lives
of the holy saints and present them to the people for examples
in the wrong way.
4. Here Christ works and speaks against this very thing.
Peter is a type of such wild wanderers ; when Christ had com-
manded him at once to follow him, he turns about and looks
after another, w^orries as to where he is going whom Jesus had
loved. Just so these persons do, they let drop what has been
commanded them, and look after the lives and w^orks of those
God loved, namely his saints, therefore Christ reproves Peter,
and says: What is that to thee, where he is wandering? Fol-
low thou me, I will attend to him ; how, if I wish him to tarry,
wilt thou also tarry ? Do you imagine I wish the same from you
as from him ? No, not so ; you attend to your duties. I desire
to have many kinds of servants, but not all to be at the same
work.
5. Alas, many persons are found, who like Peter do every-
thing except what is commanded them. Many a one hears
that certain saints made pilgrimages, for which they are
praised ; then he like a fool starts off, leaves wife and children
sitting, who are entrusted to him by God, and trots to St.
Jacob, or here and there, not knowing that his calling and
mission are quite different from that of the saint he is imitat-
ing. In the same way they do with their bequests, fastings,
clothing, holidays, priestcraft, monasteries and cloisters. All
that is nothing but looking around to the saints Christ loved,
and turning their backs to the commission and calling to fol-
low Christ. Then they boast they did well, in that they fol-
lowed the saints.
6. Therefore take heed, that the way of God leads into the
right road. First, it tolerates no humao doctrine and way or
242 i^uther's church postil,
command, secondly, it does not allow of any works, sought
and devised by self. Thirdly, God's way cannot recognize the
examples of the saints ; but its anxiety is to be faithful, as God
leads, in what he requires of us; as the prophet says in Ps.
25,8-12: "God shall instruct him in the way that he shall
choose." Likewise : ''And the weak will he teach his way," etc.
7. Then you may reply : But how if I am not called, what
shall I do then ? Answer : How is it possible that you are not
called ? You have always been in some state or station ; you
have always been a husband or wife, or boy or girl, or servant.
Picture before you the humblest state. Are you a husband,
and you think, you have not enough to do in that sphere to
govern your wife, children, domestics and property so
that all may be obedient to God and you do no one any wrong ?
Yea, if you had five heads and ten hands, even then you would
be too weak for your task, so that you would never dare to
think of making a pilgrimage or doing any kind of saintly
work.
8. Again: are you a son or daughter, and do you think
you have not enough work with yourself, to continue chaste,
pure and temperate during your youth, obey your parents, and
oflfend no one by word or deed? Yea, since the custom of
honoring such commands and callings has been abandoned,
people go and pray with their rosaries and do like things,
not belonging to their station in life, and no one ever thinks
he is not faithful in his state or station.
9. Again: Are you a domestic or servant, and do you
think you would go idle if you were to serve your lord or
mistress with all faithfulness as your station and orders re-
quire, and also keep your youth under control as with a bridle?
10. And again: Are you a prince, a lord, spiritual or
secular; who has more to do than you, in order that your
subjects may do right, preserve peace, and wrong is done by
no one ? Why, do you think, the proverb originated : A prince
or lord is a wild deer in the heavens ? Only because they have
their office and wish to rule far off when they cannot govern
even themselves ; afterwards they wish to atone for their folly
DAY OP* ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST. 24o
by masses, bequests, rosaries, prayers and indulgences, as if
God were a dealer in old clothes, or a child that permits him-
self to be fooled with a penny.
11. The very same way the bishop and spiritual prelates
also act, who should feed the sheep of Christ and follow
Christ, and even suffer death for their sake ; instead, they
observe their seven canonical hours for prayers, hold mass,
and then allow themselves to be called pious people. But if
one of the bishops enters heaven then a different heaven must
be created. All bishops at present are nothing but fire works
of hell, in that they do not administer their office, not even
a hair's breadth of it.
12. See, as now no one Is without some commission and
calling, so no one is without some kind of work, if he desires
to do what is right. Every one therefore is to take heed to
continue in his calling, look to himself, faithfully do what is
commanded him, and serve God and keep his commandments ;
then he will have so much to do that all time will be too short,
all places too cramped, all resources of help too weak. For
the evil spirit furiously attacks this way and makes it bitter
for man so that it is all he can do to continue in it. But if
Satan brings man to this point that he forgets and lets go his
calling, then he no longer attacks him so hard, he has brought
him out of the public highway, and he lets him at times hunt
a prafrie or timber path, that is, do a startling good little deed.
Then the fool thinks he is on the right road and anticipates
a great reward in heaven. The longer he wanders the farther
he strays from the highway until he comes into the most per-
nicious delusions that he thinks we are to deal with God by
means of his works, like King Saul did. Oh no, beloved
mortal, God is ijot concerned about your works, but about your
obedience, as 1 Sam. 15,22 says; 'To obey is better than
sacrifice." Hence it is, that if a pious maid-servant goes forth
with her orders, and sweeps the yard or ;cleans the stable ; or
a man-servant in the same spirit plows and drives a team:
they travel direct to heaven in the right road ; while another
who goes to St. Jacob or to church, and lets his office and
work lie, travels straight to perdition.
244 luthe:r's church postil.
13. Therefore we must close our eyes, not look at our
works, whether they be great, small, honorable, comtemptible,
spiritual, temporal or what kind of an appearance and name
they may have upon earth ; but look to the command and to
the obedience in the works. Do they govern you, then the
work also is truly right and precious, and completely godly,
although it springs forth as insignificant as a straw. How-
ever, if obedience and God's commandments do not dominate
you, then the work is not right, but damnable, surely the
devil's own doings, although it were even so great a work as
to raise the dead. For it is decreed that God's eyes look not
to the works, but to the obedience in the works. Therefore
it is his will, that we look to his command and our calling, of
which St. Paul says in 1. Cor. 7,17: "As God hath called
each, so let him walk." And St. Peter says. Ye are to be as
faithful, good shepherds or administrators of the manifold
grace of God; so that each one may serve the other, and be
helpful to him by means of what he has received, 1 Pet.
4, 10. See, here Peter says the grace and gifts of God arc not
one but manifold, and each is to tend to his own, develop
the same and through them be of service to others.
14. What a glorious state of things would reign, if it were
thus that each tended to his own affairs and yet thereby served
others, and thus traveled together to heaven in one flock in the
right road. St. Paul also writes in Rom. 12, 4-6 and 1 Cor. 12,
12: "The body has many members, but all have not the same
office." Since we are many members of one congregation, but
all have not the same office, no one should administer the office
of another, but each his own, and all in childlike obedience and
in the many offices and manifold works walk in unity and har-
mony.
15. Do you then reply: Alas, shall w^e not follow the lives
and examples of the holy saints? Why are they then preached ?
Ansv/er : One should preach them so as to praise God in them,
to stir up one another, and to comfort one another by his good-
ness and grace and not show forth their works, but their
obedience in their works. However in our days they let obe-
DAY O^ ST. JOHN THE) EVANGELIST. 245
cHence lie and lead us so deeply into works, that we have com-
pletely drifted from obedience, and we gape at works and de-
spise our own mission and calling. Hence there is no doubt
it is Satan's own doings that divine worship is confined only
to churches, altars, masses, singing, reading, offerings and
the like, as if all other works were vain or of no use what-
ever. How could Satan mislead us more completely from the
right way than when he confines God's worship within such
narrow limits, only to the church and whatever is done in it ?
16. Be on your guard, look in front of you, Christ will not
suffer Peter to look around, not even to the disciple he still
loves. Do you think it was for naught that the very disciple,
whom Jesus loved, was preferred here to all the other disciples ?
It was for some purpose that he was not mentioned by name.
He might indeed have said : Peter turned and saw John ; but
he said, "whom Jesus loved" etc. But he wished to meet this
evil and banish from their sight the works of the saints, in
order that nothing but pure obedience might always abide
there, and no one might glory or excuse himself in that he
had followed the example of the saints.
17. Notice, we also read in the Scriptures that God did
not wish David to build his church, although David took it
in hand to do so; because there was no command before that
he should build it ; but he wished Solomon to build it, and to
him he also gave a command to this end. It has been the
spring of all kinds of idolatry that the people had respect to
the works of the saints and not to their obedience. They wit-
nessed how Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob offered to God
upon altars; they heedlessly went ahead and desired to imi-
tate them, and idolatry was the result. The Scriptures typify
such persons by the monkeys. They are an animal with a
nature that looks only to works, they wished to imitate every-
thing, still nothing is commanded them.
18. Therefore let us well grasp the words: "Follow thou
me." Thou, thou ; let others attend to their affairs, you attend
to yours, they will indeed come. For it is not in vain that
there is added in this Gospel, that the disciple whom Peter
saw, was also following ; but he was following without Peter's
246 LUTHER S CHURCH POSTIL.
looking. This whole gospel lesson has been written for the
sake of these words and their teaching; for it does not con-
tain much on the doctrine of faith, but on the following and
the works of faith. In the person of Peter Christ here lec-
tures all spiritual prelates and instructs them in their office ; of
this the whole Gospel ought to be made to treat, but these pre-
lates wish perhaps to be untaught by us. Therefore we must
pass it by, and stick to our own duties.
IL THE SECOND TEACHING. EACH SHOULD BE
CONTENT IN HIS OWN CALLING.
19. The other lesson from this Gospel is, that everyone
should be satisfied with his own part and not begrudge an-
other anything, nor murmur although he is unlike him. For
here, although John alone is called the disciple Jesus loves,
still none of them murmured, neither did anyone envy him.
in like manner, that he should not die, as they thought, grieved
no one, and not a murmur went forth from them ; but as the
text says : "This saying therefore went forth among the breth-
ren," they, (we understand all the disciples and Christians)
spoke of this as brethren and wished him well.
20. And this is no mean virtue; for even the holy patri-
archs were lacking in this virtue and they could not stand the
government of Joseph, their brother.
2L Moreover it is a common plague that no one can be
satisfied with his own lot, so that the heathen say : How does
it happen that there is always better fruit in another's field, and
that the neighbor's cow gives more milk than our own ? Again,
— how does it :come that no one allows himself to be content
with his own state, each thinking that of another is better
than his own? Whoever is a merchant praises the lot of a
mechanic, that he sits at home and rests, while he must wander
around in the country as if going astray. On the other hand,
the mechanic praises the lot of the merchant, because he is
rich and is out among the people, and so on. Every person
is tired of his own lot and sighs for a change. Is one married,
then he praises the state of the one who has no wife ; has he
DAY OF ST. JOHN THE) EVANG^IvIST. 247
none, then he praises the married state. Is he in a spiritual
calling, then he likes the secular; is he in a secular calling,
then he prefers the spiritual ; and so it is impossible for God
to deal with them so that they are satisfied. If they serve God
in the lot God gave them, it would be neither bitter nor heavy
for them ; but now they are tired and no one burdens them but
themselves. Without the least need or cause they themselves
make their lives bitter.
22. And if God allowed one to change his lot with all his
will, to atone for his dissatisfied state ; even then he would be
like every one else, yea, become more tired and at last stay
with his own. Hence one must not think of changing his lot,
but of changing his spirit of discontent. Cast aside and change
your restless spirit, then the lot of one would be hke that of
another, and all would be prized alike, as you have experienced
that you neither needed nor wished a change.
23. Thus some heathen have thought if the evils of all
people were brought together on a heap, and one then dis-
tributed them equally, it would come to the point that every
one would prefer to retain his own. God rules the world so
very evenly, that to every advantage is attached a like disad-
vantage. Every person sees no more than how sleek the shoe
fits on another, but does not see where it pinches him ; on the
other hand the one who wears the shoe, thinks not how neatly
it fits, but how sorely it pinches. The world rushes on in the
folly that everyone looks only at his own evil and another's
good ; but when he beholds only his own good and also an-
others evil, then he will thank God, be satisfied in a most re-
signed manner, however humble and bad it may be about
him.
24. To avoid such unrest, discontent and disgust in one's
self, is helpful and necessary to faith, which iL of the firm con-
viction, that God governs all alike, places each one in the lot,
that is the most useful and suitable for him, and that it could
not be better arranged, even if he did it himself. This faith
brings rest, contentment, peace and banishes the tired spirit.
But where it does not exist, and man judges according to his
own feelings, thoughts and experiences, behold, there is a
248 Luther's church postil.
weary and discontented spirit ; for he experiences only the evil
of his own lot and not that of his neighbor ; on the other hand,
he does not see his own good side nor the bad side of his
neighbor. Hence there follows out of this feeling weariness,
dislike, worry and labor, and he becomes thereby impatient
and dissatisfied with God. Then praise, love and thanks to
God are silenced in him, and he remains his whole life a secret
miirmurer against God, like the Jews in the wilderness. Yet,
the only thing he reaps from it, is that he makes his own life
bitter, and merits hell thereby besides.
25. Hence you see, how faith is needed in everything and
how it makes everything easy, good and sweet, even if you
were in prison or in death, as the martyrs prove. And without
faith all things are difficult, evil and bitter, although you pos-
sessed the pleasure and joy of the whole world, as all the great
lords and wealthy prove, who at all times lead the most
wretched lives.
26. Some say: Yes, if I knew that neither my folly nor
Satan had led me, and I were assured that God himself took
care of me, I would gladly be joyful, satisfied and contented.
Answer: That is a foolish and unchristian pretence, which
reveals a faithless heart. Christ says in Math. 6, 28 : "Con-
sider the lillies of the field, how they grow." Again, not a leaf
falls from the tree without the will of your heavenly Father,
and not a bird comes upon the earth without his will ; of how
much more value are you than birds, you who are of much
more value than they ; the very hair of your head are all num-
bered. Math. 10, 29.
27. If then your existence is a state that in itself is not sin-
ful, although you have come into it through sin and folly, the
same existence or state will not therefore be the less displeas-
ing to God; for God takes pleasure in all things, as Gen. 1, 31
says, except sin. Therefore, where you are in a calling that
is not sinful in itself, you are certainly placed there by God,
and in the state that is pleasing to God ; be only on your guard
and do not sin in it. If you fall from a loft and break a bone
the room or the bed therefore is not the worse or God more
DAY OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST. 249
displeasing, into which the fall brought you and constrained
you to remain, although another came there without such a fall.
29. When I speak of a calling, not sinful in itself, I do
really pleasing to God, if you experience his disgust and dis-
pleasure ; God is surely present there, he lets the wicked spirit
attack and try you, if you are wavering or steadfast, or not,
and offers your fiath an occasion to battle and to exercise itself.
29. When I speak of a calling, which in itself is not sinful,
I do not mean that we can live on the earth without sin.
All callings and estates sin daily ; but I mean the calling God has
instituted or its institution is not opposed to God, as for exam-
ple, marriage, man-servant, maid-servant, lord, wife, superin-
tendent, ruler, judge, officer, farmer, citizen etc., I mention
as sinful stations in life; robbery, usury, public women, and
as they are at present, the pope, cardinals, bishops, priests,
monks and nuns, who neither preach nor listen to preaching.
For these callings are surely against God, where they only say
mass and sing, and are not busy with God's Word, so that an
ordinary woman may much sooner enter heaven than one of
these.
30. To be spiritual and not busy with God's Word, which
should be your special work, is like being married and never
being together; but one running out here, the other there, to
dissipate. Hence in order to lead such a life many chapters
and cloisters have become houses of harlots and houses of
villains for the service of Satan, to be pious in the body and
outwardly, but in the soul there is nothing but sin.
III. THE SPIRITUAL OR INIYSTERIOUS INTER-
PRETATION.
31. With these two lessons we shall be satisfied for the
present. St. Augustine, however, playfully as it were, inter-
pretes the two apostles, Peter and John, as two sorts of lives.
St. Peter as the life of reality, and St. John as the con-
templative life. He adds : our real life must follow Christ and
die, whereas the life contemplative remains forever. — This no-
tion is beautiful and ingenious ; but some, by writing too much
250 Luther's church postiL.
about these two kinds of lives, have obscured the whole matter
and no longer know what life is real or contemplative.
32. But I, in m}' coarse manner of thinking, take it that
the life of reality must not only cease bodily, but also die spiritu-
ally ; that is, it must be discarded by the world, and man must
not rely on his works, however good and necessary they be,
but live alone by faith and rely on Christ ; thus he will be tht
disciple whom Christ loves. Here the Gospel, so to speak,
bursts open and pours forth the rays of its spiritual meaning
too numerous for me to catch. Christ by his Word and life
urges the performance of good works, but in reality has in
view only faith.
33. Let us then take John to mean faith, or the inner life
of the soul in faith ; St. Peter, works, or the outer life in works
— taking care, however, not to separate the two from each
other in one person. Thus we shall behold mysterious things
and understand the lives real and contemplative, with their
death or continuance.
34. Firstly, we read that this was the disciple whom Christ
loved. This means that faith alone makes the truly beloved
disciples of Christ, who receive the Holy Spirit through this
very same faith, not through their works. Works indeed also
make disciples, but not beloved disciples : only temporal hypo-
crites who do not persevere. God's love does not uphold and
keep them, for the reason that they do not believe.
85. Secondly, this is the disciple who at the supper leaned
back on Christ's breast. It is surely something great and ad-
mirable that faith owns the heart of Christ, that is, it possesses
all that Christ has and all right understanding. I have often
said before that faith makes Christ and the believer one, both
having the same things in common. That which Christ is and
has becomes the property of the believer ; and again, as St. Paul
says, Rom. 8, 32. "God has delivered up his son for us all ; how
shall he not also freely with him give us all things ?" Therefore
a Christian believer relies on Christ, takes comfort from Kim,
and leans on him as on his own, given to him by God. Even
so did St. John lean back on Christ's breast, as on his couch,
safe and secure.
DAY O^ ST. JOHN THE) ßVANGEUST. 251
36. Behold what abundant treasures the faith in Christ is
and contains : it leans ever on Christ, bedding then safely and
most gently, so that they fear nothing, neither sin, death, hell,
the world, nor the devil ; for they rest on life, on grace, and
on eternal bliss, possessing all things in heaven and on earth —
only in faith, however not manifestly as yet. This is indicated
by the fact that St. John leans back on Christ's breast not after
his resurrection or in the morning, but before the resurrection
and at supper, that is to say in this life, which is an evening-
meal, denoting the end of the world, when souls are nourished
by the Gospel and the Easter-Lamb, that is prepared, served and
eaten by faith and through the preaching of the Word.
37. Thirdly, he particularly mentions the breast, not the lap
or the arms, indicating thereby that faith possesses all the
wisdom of God and understands all things rightly. The same
is also said by St. Paul, 1. Cor. 2, 15-16: "We have the mind
of Christ ;"and furthermore: "He that is spiritual judgeth all
things, and he himself is judged of no man." And 2 Cor. 3, 16
we read: "Whensoever it (the heart) shall turn to the Lord,
the evil is taken away", so that he knows all things. Therefore
the believer can rightly judge all estates, all works, all doc-
trines, seeing what is good and right, and never failing.
38. Behold, thus through faith in Christ man not only pos-
sesses all things, but also rightly, certainly and wisely under-
stands, knows and judges all things. This is typified by IMoses
in the law, Lev. 9, 31, where it is taught that of all animal off-
erings the breast is due and belongs to the priest. Priests
however are all believers and Christians as we are told in 1. Pet.
2, 9. And therefore faith gives them all treasures and all wis-
dom, so that because of their treasures they are rich kines
and have plenty, and that because of their wisdom they are
great priests who can judge, distinguish and teach all the world.
39. Fourthly, this is the disciple who said to Jesus : "Lord,
who is he that betrayeth thee?" What does this signify? Ju-
das the traitor was a type of the pope, the bishops and all those
priests who abandon the Word of God and prefer their own
252 luthe;r's church postil.
doctrines and works, at the same time uprooting all Christian
truth. Yet their life has a fine spiritual semblance with all
their religious doings and carrying on, and natural reason can-
not comprehend how they can be mistaken, aye it even praises
and supports them.
40. Now, since true faith and boastful works never go to-
gether, and since no one may rely on God's grace and lean on
the breast of Christ who relies on his works and doings ; there-
fore grace and truth, when boastful works are exalted, de-
cline equally much. Thus it comes about that through these
traitors, the priests, truth steadily and secretly declines, so
secretly in fact that true believers do not become aware of it,
unless they diligently seek after truth. Has not Christ told us.
Math. 24, 24, that even the elect, if possible, may be led astray ?
And therefore John is not content with leaning on the breast of
Christ but anxiously and urgently he requires who may be the
traitor. ,
41. Thus do the true believers, by exploring Christian
truths and divine grace, learn wdio is the traitor ; for noticing,
as they do, that only grace — that is, Christ — and nothing but
grace affords any help and that nothing else is to be relied
upon, they easily see, by thus comparing and balancing grace •
and nature, that everthing except grace is misleading. Then
grace assures them and they behold that all such are traitors
as set aside and uproot grace, who, in opposition to grace,
establish doctrines and works, claiming thereby to make people
religious and pious.
42. The betrayers of Christ therefore are the hypocrites
who walk about with the semblance of a holy life and a spiritual
estate, while at the same time they annihilate within themselves
and in everybody else the truth of Christianity and the light
of grace, leaving nothing but human folly. This is recog-
nized only by such as have true faith, and even by such only
when they pay special attention to it, investigate, examine and
compare one with the other; otherwise they also will allow
such works to pass, thinking in their simplicity that they are
done in good faith, since, forsooth, they so closely resemble
DAY OI^ ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST. 253
g^enuine Christian works. And for this the traitor's name is
Judas Iscariot. Judas means "confessor," for all such saints
confess Christ, do not openly deny him and even, in their lives,
appear better than the true confessors. Iscariot however
means "reward," for such saints are only hirelings, egotists
and seekers after pay; everything that they do they do for
themselves and nothing freely, for the honor of God, even as
Judas with his carrying of the purse only looked out for his
advantage. Behold, thus the world abounds with religious
people who, at heart, are nothing but Judas Iscariots, advan-
tage-seekers and profit-servers, who with their outward sem-
blance lead all the world astray and away from the right path
of faith, despising and selling Christ, that is to say Christian
truth and grace. Of this more anon during Lent.
43. Now you see why St. John does not mention his own
name. For faith neither makes sects and differences, as works
do, nor has it any particular works by which it desires to be
mentioned ; it performs all sorts of works, as they happen to
be required, one as well as the other. But Judas Iscariot's band
is divided according to their works, Vv^thout reference to faith.
One is called a bishop by mitre and crosier, not by faith ; an-
other, a Franciscan or Bare-footed Friar, by his cowl and pat-
tens ; a third, an Augustinian, by his black cowl and so on.
But faith, through all works and estates remains entirely name-
less and that is why it makes disciples whom Christ loves.
Peter indeed also has a name, for faith is not wholly destitute
of works ; but his is a name that Christ has given to him, not
the cause of his being a beloved disciple.
43. Now we see what it means that this disciple is to remain
and Peter to follow as said above. Faith remains until Christ
comes, then it ceases ; but works must perish and be despised.
The world can take all things from us and destroy them, even
our good works and good lives; but our faith it must permit
to remain in our hearts, and it \vill remain even unto the last
day. From all this it follows that St. John has not written
such things concerning himself for his glory, as though he
wished to be especially esteemed above all others. But he de-
254 Luther's church postil.
sired to describe the mysterious and abundant virtue of faith ;
nor did he fully understand till after the ascension of Christ that
the Lord therefore caused such things to be done.
45. It is likewise a good sign that St. Peter turned to look
at St. John, and not contrariwise. For the works are to look
to faith, where it stands ; not faith to the works. — Many more
meaning:s could be found in this lesson by him who had time
and the desire to look for them.
SUNDAY AFTE:r CHRISTMAS. 255
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS.
This sermon appears in the Erlangen Edition 10,251; Walch
11,319; St. Louis 10,232.
Text : Luke, 2, 33-40. And his father and his mother zvere
marveling at the things which zvere spoken concerning him;
and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother,,
Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many
in Israel; and for a sigii zvhich is spoken against; yea and a
szvord shall pierce through thine ozvn soul ; that thoughts out
of many hearts may be revealed. And there zvas one Anna, a
prophetess, the daughter of Phanucl, of the tribe of Ashcr {she
zvas of a great age, hazing lived zvith a husband seven years
from her virginity, and she had been a zvidozv even unto four-
score and four years), zvho departed not from the temple, zvor-
shipping zvith fastings and supplications night and day. And
coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and
spake of him to ail them that zvere looking for the redemption
of Jerusalem. And zvhen they had accomplished all things
that zvere according to the lazi of the Lord, they returned into
Galilee, to their ozvn city Nazareth.
And the child grezi', and zvaxed strong, filled zvith zvisdom .
and the grace of God zvas upon him.
CONTENTS: Of SIMEON; OF ANNA; OF THE RETURN
OF THE PARENTS OF JESUS TO NAZARETH, AND
THE CHILDHOOD OF CHRIST.
I. OF SIMEON. a. That we learn how exceed-
* An Opinion On The Order Of ingly wonderful God's works
The Gospel And Of The are. 6.
, ^Epistle For This Sunday^ 1. b. That we learn how in the
I THE GREAT AND WONDER- works of God we are to for-
^SEACHlfD OF OHrIst? ^""^^ "^^ ^^""^^ ""''^ ^^^"^
V n,,^^^4P.^^^. ^K •^^f^rSTl only to the Word. 7.
A. These thmg-s in themselves. mi,^ ■, i /-. ^,
1 Their nature 2 ^' That we learn how God s
2. What their preaching- work- word is never preached
ed in Joseph and Mary. 2-3. without bringing forth some
3. The objection they raised, iruit. ti-d.
and its answer. 4-5. B. The Spiritual Explanation Of
4. How these great and won- These Great And Wonderful
derful things serve us; Things.
256
I^UTHEr's church Jr-OSTIL.
1. Of the temple where they are
preached. 10.
2. Of Simeon, by whom they are
preached.
a. As to his person. 11-12.
b. As to his name. 13.
c. As to his ag-e. 14.
d. As to the fact that the
Evang-elist does not men-
tion Simeon's name, when
he relates that Joseph and
Mary marveled. 15.
3. Of the fact that the Evange-
list does not mention the
name of the parents of Je-
sus, and calls them only fa-
ther and mother 16-17.
* Whether it is right for the
Evang-eilst to call Joseph the
father of Christ. 18.
II. THE BLESSING OP SIMEON.
A. The Blessing Itself.
1. Its nature. 19.
2. How this is a high and rare
work, although it appears
small. 20-22.
3. How it is clear from this
blessing, that Simeon was a
preacher and a friend of the
cross, and an enemy of the
world. 23.
B. The Spiritual Explanation Of
This Blessing. 24-26.
:IL SIMEON'S PROPHECY CON-
CERNING CHRIST.
A. This Prophecy In General.
1. Why Simeon told this pro-
phecy to Mary only, and not
also to Joseph. 27-28.
2. How Simeon's blessing is
explained in this prophecy.
28.
B. The Prophecy In Particular.
1. The first part of this pro-
phecy.
a. Its true sense and under-
standing. 29-30.
b. Its use and application. 31-
33. ,
* All the Scriptures drive us
only to faith, and reject
works. 34.
c. The nature of those to whom
this part of tne prophecy
applies. 35.
d. Why Simeon added here the
word Israel. ^6.
2. The second part of this pro-
phecy.
a. How we are to learn from
this part what the world is,
and what nature with its
free will is able to do. 37.
b. The sense and right under-
standing of this part. 38-40.
c. How tlie prophets spoke very
fully of this part. 41.
d. How it teaches the attitude
of the world to Christ. 42.
* The world is Satan's king-
dom. 43,
e. How it gives double com-
fort to believers. 44-4Ö.
f. How it is to be used in op-
posing the Papacy. 46-47.
3. The third part of this pro-
phecy.
a. The sense and understand-
ing of this part. 48.
b. Its spiritual significance.
49-50.
4. The fourth part of this pro-
phecy. 51-56.
* The gross offense of public
sinners. 51.
* The subtle offense of the
workrighteous.
a. The nature of this offense.
52.
b. The danger of this offense.
53.
c. How the whole Scriptures
oppose this offense. 54.
d. In what way this offense is
disclosed. 55.
e. How this offense is portray-
ed in the Philistines. 50.
II. OF ANNA.
* What answer is to be given
to the Papists when they
wish to establish the doc-
trine of their good works by
the example of Anna. 57ff.
I. The Character And Condition
Of Anna.
A. As to herself, she is set forth
here.
1. As a prophetess. 58.
2. As a widow. 59-60.
* In what way we are to do
good works. 61.
3. As one who in her virginity
and married life proved that
she pleased God. 62-64.
B As to the spiritual meaning.
1. In general. 65-74.
* The saints of the Old Testa-
ment were saved in the same
way as the saints of the New
Testament. 66ff.
* All the records of the Old
lestament very early agreed
as to Christ. 67-69.
* 9u ?t Pi'ophecies to which
the believers of the Old Test-
ament cleaved. 70-74.
2. In particular. The spiritual
significance.
a. That Anna was a prophet-
ess. 75.
b. That she was named Anna.
(G.
c. That she was a daughter of
Phanuel. 77-78.
d. That she was of the tribe of
Asher. 79-80.
e. That she lived seven years
with her husband. 81-83.
f. That she was a widow of
84 years. 84f.
* Man must first be under the
Law before he can come to
faith. 86.
g. That the number of the
SUNDAY A^TER CHRISTMAS. 257
years of Anna's virginity is * It is a ^reat blessing to
not given. 87. know Christ ariglit and to
• Tlie mysteries the Holy thank God for it. 109-110.
Scriptures include in the * Of the great multitude of
numbers seven and twelve. those who blaspheme Jesus.
88-93. 110-111.
h. That Anna never departed b. The second thing Anna did.
from the temple. 94ff. 112-12 3.
* Comparison of the apostacy B. The spiritual significance of
of the Jewish and the Rom- Anna's actions. 114-115.
ish churches. 94-95. III. THE RETURN OF THE PA-
♦ Man-made doctrines cannot RENTS OF JESUS TO NAZ-
encourage truly pious living. ARETH. 116-117.
96. IV. THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS.
i. The spiritual meaning of 1. A judgment on the book
Anna's fasting. 97-100. written on the childhood of
* Of the fasting and mortifica- Jesus. 118-119.
tion by which the saints try 2. How and why we should be
to bring their bodies into satisfied with what St. Luke
subjection. 98-100. records concerning the Child-
j. The spiritual meaning of hood of Jesus. 120.
Anna praying day and night. * Of Christ's seamless coat.
102-1C4. 121.
• Of prayer. 103-104. 3. A judgment on the pointed
II. The Actions Of Anna. questions and difficulties
A. The actions in themselves. some have with this narra-
1. In general. 105-106. tive of Christ's childhood.
* Christ gathers to himself all 122-123.
classes. 107. 4. How and why the history of
2. In particular. Christ's childhood is to be
a. The first thing she did. 108- explained in the simplest
111. manner. 125-126.
1. It is very probable that today's Epistle has been selected
by a pure misunderstanding, the one who appointed it for this
Sunday probably thinking that it refers to the infant Christ,
because it speaks of a young heir who is lord of all. Many
Other Epistles and Gospels have been selected for inappropri-
ate days from similar misunderstandings. Nothing however
depends upon the order of selection; it amounts to the same
thing what is preached at the different seasons, if only the right
meaning is preserved. Thus the events of this Gospel happened
on the day of Candlemas, when Mary brought the child into
the temple, and yet it is read on this Sunday. I mention all
this, that nobody may be confused by the chronological order,
or prevented from correctly understanding the Gospel. We will
divide it into two parts, the one treating of Simeon, and the
other of Anna. It is indeed a rich Gospel and well arranged :
first, the man Simeon ; second, the woman Anna, both aged and
holy.
L OF SIMEON.
''And his father and his mother were marveling at the
things ivhich were spoken concerning him,"
258 luth^r's church posth..
2. What are those wonderful things spoken concerning
him? They are the things concerning which St. Simeon had
spoken immediately before, when in the temple he took the
child Jesus upon his arms, saying: 'Now lettest thou thy ser-
vant depart, Lord according to thy word, in peace; for mine
eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before
the face of all peoples; a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of thy people Israel." At these things, St. Luke
says, they marveled, namely, that this aged and holy man stood
there before them in the temple, took the child in his arms
and spoke of him so exultingly, calling him the light of the
world, a Saviour of all nations, a glory of all the people of
Israel; Simeon himself thinking so highly of him that he
would now fain depart this life after he had seen the child.
3. Now it must indeed excite wonder that such things were
proclaimed openly by Simeon in that public and sacred place
with reference to that poor and insignificant child, whose
mother was so humble and lowly and whose father Joseph
was not wealthy. How could such a child be considered the
Saviour of all men, the light of the Gentiles and the glory and
honor of all Israel? At present, after we have had so many
proofs of Christ's greatness, these words do no longer seem
so wonderful; but then, when nothing as yet was known of
Jesus, they were indeed marvelous, and this lowly child was
very unlike the great and mighty being portrayed by Simeon.
But Joseph and Mary believed it nevertheless, and just there-
fore they marveled. If they had not believed it, the words of
Simeon would have appeared to them insignificant, untrue
and worthless, and not at all wonderful. Therefore, the fact
that they were marveling, shows that Joseph and Mary pos-
sessed a strong and sublime faith.
4. But some one might say: why then do they marvel at
this? Had not the angels told them before that this child was
Christ and the Saviour, and had not the shepherds also spoken
glorious things concerning him? It was also very wonderful
that the kings or wise men had come from distant lands to
worship him with their offerings. Mary knew well that she
SUNDAY AI^Ti:r CHRISTMAa 259
had conceived him of the Holy Spirit, and that wonderful
events had attended his birth. Moreover, the angel Gabriel had
said that he should be great and be called the Son of the Most
High. In short, all the preceding events had been marvelous,
up to this time ; now nothing wonderful occurs, but only those
things are announced and proclaimed concerning him which
have not happened and are not yet seen.
5. It seems to me that in this case we need not look very
far for an explanation. The Evangelist does not deny that
they had also marveled before this. He simply desires to re-
late here wdiat they did when St. Simeon spoke such glorious
things concerning the child. He means to say: When St.
Simeon spake thus, the child's parents did not despise his
words, but believed them firmly. Therefore they remained
and listened to him and marveled at his utterances; what
could they have done in addition to this? Thus it is not de-
nied here that previously they marveled just as much, if not
more.
6. We shall inquire later into the spiritual significance of
this wonderment ; now we are concerned about the literal sense,
serving as an example of our faith and teaching us how won-
ful are the works of God concerning us; for the end is very
unlike the beginning. The beginning is nothing, the end is
everything; just as the infant Christ here appears to be very
insignificant, and yet he finally became the Saviour and light
of all nations.
7. If Joseph and Mary had judged according to outward
appearances, they would have considered Christ more than a
poor child. But they disregard the outward appearance and
cling to the words of Simeon with a firm faith, therefore they
marvel at h-is speech. Thus we must also disregard all the
senses when contemplating the works of God, and only cling to
his words, so that our eyes and our senses may not offend us.
8. The fact that they were marveling at the words of Si-
meon is also mentioned to teach us that the Word of God is
never preached in vain, as we read in Isaiah 55, 11 : "So shall
my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth" (i. e. out of
260 Luther's church postil.
the month of God's messengers) : ''it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Thus the Evangelist
would say that Simeon delivered a warm-hearted, beautiful
sermon, preaching the pure Gospel and the Word of God.
For the Gospel is nothing but a sermon whose theme is Christ,
declaring him to be the Saviour, light and glory of all the
world. Such preaching fills the heart with joy and wonder at
this great grace and comfort, if it is received in faith.
9. But although this sermon was very beautiful and com-
forting:, there were only a few who believed ; nay people de-
spised it as being foolish, going hither and thither in the temple.
Some prayed, others did something else, but they did not give
heed to the words of Simeon. Yet, as the Word of God must
produce results, there were indeed some who received it with
joy and wonder, namely Joseph and Mary. The Evangelist here
also rebukes the unbelief of the Jews, for as this occurred pub-
licly in the temple, there were many present, and yet they would
not believe, the fact that the Saviour was only a child causing
them all to stumble. Thus we learn here that we should hear
the Word of God gladly, for it will invariably produce good
fruits.
The Spiritual Meaning of this Gospel Concerning Simeon,
10. This leads us to the spiritual significance of this aston-
ishment of Joseph and Mary. The temple is an abode of God,
therefore signifying every place where God is present. Among
others it also signifies the Holy Scriptures, where God may be
found as in his proper place. To bring Christ into the temple,
means nothing else than to follow the example of the people
mentioned in Acts 17, 1 1. After they had received the Word
with all readiness of mind, they went into the Scriptures, daily
examining them v/hetlier these things were so.
11. Now we find in this same temple Simeon, who in his
])erson represents all the prophets filled with the Holy Spirit,
just as St. Luke says of Simeon. They have spoken and writ-
ten as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and have waited for
the coming of Christ, just like Simeon. They have never
SUNDAY AI^TKR CHRISTMAS. 261
ceased to do this till Christ came, as St. Peter says in Acts
3, 24 that all the prophets have spoken of the days of Christ.
And Christ himself says, Math. 11, 13, that all the prophets
and the law prophesied until John, i. e. till the baptism of
Christ, when he began to show himself as the Saviour and
light of all the world.
12. All this is signified by Simeon, who was not to die
till he had seen Christ. For this reason he is called Simeon,
which means "one who hears", for the prophets had only heard
of Christ as of him Vxdio was as yet unborn and would
come after them. Therefore, having him in their wake, as it
were, they heard him. Now if we thus 'come into the temple
with Christ and the Gospels and contemplate the Scriptures,
all the sayings of the prophets are so kind to him, take him in
their arms, so to speak, and declare all with great joy: This is
indeed the Man of whom we have spoken, and now our utter-
ances concerning him have come to their goal in peace and joy.
And now they begin to give the most beautiful testimonies con-
cerning him, as being Christ, the Saviour, the light, the com-
fort and the glory of Israel ; and all this Simeon here declares
and announces regarding him. St. Paul speaks of this in Rom.
1, 2, where he says that God promised the Gospel afore through
his prophets in the Holy Scriptures ; which shows us what is
meant by Simeon and by the temple. We also refer to Rom.
3, 21 : ''But now apart from the law a righteousness of God
has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the proph-
ets," also to the words of Christ in John 5, 39 : "Ye search the
Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life ;
and these are they which bear witness of me ; and in verse
46 : "For if ye believed Moses, ye would believe me ; for he
wrote of me." This might be proved by examples, but we have
no time here. From the Epistle and Gospel for Christmas we
have seen what beautiful and very appropriate testimonies the
apostles gathered from Holy Scripture. We have also dis-
cussed this in explaining the Christmas Gospel, when we spoke
of the swaddling clothes in which the child was wrapped.
13. For the present the prophecy of Moses may suffice,
262 Luther's church postil.
which we find in Deut. 18, 15 and which is quoted by the
apostles in x\cts 3, 22 and 7, 37, and in many other places, and
reads as follows : ''Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a
prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me ;
unto him ye shall hearken." Here Aloses declares that the
people will no longer hearken to him, and that his teaching will
end when this prophet Christ appears to whom they should
hearken thenceforth. This also demonstrates that Christ was to
be a light and Saviour after Moses, and no doubt better than
Moses ; for otherwise Moses would not have declared that his
teaching and guiding would terminate, but that it would con-
tinue along with that of Christ. Isaiah also says, 28, 16: "Be-
hold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a
precious corner-stone of sure foundation: he that believeth
shall not be in haste." Behold, how beautifully these and other
passages of Holy Writ agree with the Gospel, declaring of
Christ what the apostles preached concerning him and what is
proclaimed continually by all the Holy Scriptures.
14. Therefore Simeon had to be an aged man, so that he
might completely and suitably represent the prophets of old.
He does not take the child in his hands nor in his lap, but
in his arms. There is a deeper meaning in this, but suffice it '
to say now that the prophecies and passages of Scriptures do
not keep Christ to themselves, but exhibit and ofifer him to
everybody, just as we do with those things we carry in our
arms. St. Paul refers to this in Rom. 4, 23 and 15, 4, when
he says that all was written not for their sake, but for our
learning. And in 1 Peter 1, 12 we read that the prophets have
not ministered these things unto themselves, but unto us, to
whom they have been announced.
15. For this reason St. Luke does not say that Joseph and
Mary were marveling at the words of Simeon, but "at the
things which were spoken concerning him." He passes over
the name of Simeon in silence, deliberately diverting our at-
tention from Simeon to this spiritual significance, so that
thereby we might understand the sayings of Scripture.
1 6. Only his father and his mother were marveling at these
things. It is remarkable that the Evangelist here does not men-
SUNDAY A^TER CHRISTMAS. 263
tion the names of Joseph and Mary, but calls them father and
mother, thereby giving no cause to point out the spiritual signi-
ficance. Who is meant by the spiritual father and mother of
Christ? He himself mentions his spiritual mother in Mark
3, 34-35 and Luke 8, 21 : ''For whosoever shall do the will of
God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." St. Paul
calls himself a father in 1 Cor. 4,15: ''For though ye have
ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers;
for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the Gospel." It is
therefore clear that the Christian church, that is to say all those
who believe, the spiritual mother of Christ, and all the
apostles and teachers of the people who preach the Gospel, are
his spiritual father. As often as faith is created in a man,
Christ is born anew in him. These are the people who are
marveling at the sayings of the prophets ; for how beautifully
and precisely do these apply to Christ and how gloriously do
they speak of him, demonstrating in a masterly manner the
truth of the whole Gospel. There is no greater delight in this
life than to perceive and experience this in reading the Scrip-
tures.
17. But the great multitude of unbelievers despise this
Simeon, scoff at him and pervert his words as those of a fool,
carrying on their apish tricks and buffoonery in the temple
and even rearing idols and the altar of Damascus there, as did
King i\hab, 1 Kings 16, 32-33. These are the people who
vv^antonly pervert the Scriptures and bring them into discredit ;
they judge them according to their human understanding and
elevate their favorite idol, reason, thereby making of the Scrip-
tures a doctrine of works and human laws. Finally they
desecrate and destroy this temple of the Scriptures alto-
gether and carry on in it their sin and shame, as the
pope with his decrees and the great seats of learning
with their devotion to Aristotle have done and are still doing.
At the same time they are very devout and consecrate many
churches, chapels and altars of wood and stone, show their
indignation against the Turks who desecrate and destroy these
churches, and believe that God ought to reward them for
264 i^uthkr's church postHv.
desecrating and devastating ten thousand times more badly his
most precious temple, which is immeasurably better and eter-
nal. They are a blind, mad, clumsy people; let them go in
their blindness to eternal destruction.
18. Some simple-minded people might be surprised that
Luke calls Joseph the father of Christ, in spite of the fact that
Mary was a virgin. But he speaks thus according to the
custom which prevailed among the people, and in keeping with
the tradition of the law, according to which step-fathers,
were also called fathers, which indeed is the general
custom everywhere and always. Moreover Joseph is
properly called his father, because he was the affianced
husband of his mother. The Evangelist had sufficient
reason to speak thus, for he had previously written very plainly
about the virginity of Mary, so that he probably thought nobody
would get the impression that Joseph was the real father of
Christ. As there was consequently no danger, because of the
precautions he had taken, he could write in this manner with-
out any reserve. For the preceding narrative abundantly
convinces us that Mary was his real mother and Joseph was his
real father only in the conventional sense of the word ; and thus
it is true that he had both a father and a mother.
And Simeon Blessed Them.
19. This blessing means nothing else but that he wished
them happiness and joy, honor and all prosperity. Luke relates
that he did not bless only the child, but every one of them, the
child, his father and his mother.
20. This blessing seems to be a useless and trivial matter,
for people generally do this and wish each other all that is
good. But to bless Christ and his parents is a great and ex-
ceptional deed, for the reason that Christ and our nature are
entirely opposed to each other. Christ condemns all that the
world elects, gives us the cross to bear and to suffer all evil,
deprives this world of all its pleasures, possessions and honors,
and teaches that men deal in those things which are altogether
foolish and sinful. And behold, nobodv will nor can take this
SUNDAY ArrE:R CHRISTMAS. 265
from him. Then they begin to execrate, blaspheme and perse-
cute Christ and all his disciples, and there are only a few Si-
meons who bless him ; but the whole w^orld is full of those who
curse him and wish him all evil, disgrace and misfortune. For he
w^ho is not disposed willingly to despise all things and to suffer
everything, will not bless and praise Christ very long, but will
speedily stumble.
21. There are indeed some who praise him, because he
does what they desire and leaves them as they are. But then
he is not Christ and does not do the works of Christ with them,
but he is what they are and desire. When however he begins
to be Christ to them and they are required to forsake their
w^orks and to let him alone dwell within them, there is nothing
but flight, blashphemy and execration.
22. There are also some who believe that, if they were to
see the infant Christ before them with his mother, as did
Simeon, they would also joyously bless him. But they lie; for
his childhood and poverty and his contemptible appearance
would certainly cause them to stumble. They prove it by dis-
regarding, hating and persecuting such poverty and humble
appearance in the members of Christ, and yet they might still
find daily among them Christ their head. If they then shun
the cross now and hate its contemptible appearance, they would
certainly do the same thing if they were still to see him with
their eyes. Why are they not showing such honor to the poor ?
Why will they not honor the truth ? But Simeon was of a
different mind. Outward appearances did not cause him to
stumble but on the contrary, he confessed that the Saviour
was to be a sign which is spoken against, and is pleased that
Christ rejects the appearance of worldly greatness and exhi-
bits the cross. Therefore he does not bless Christ alone, but
also his members, father and mother.
23. Thus Simeon, as a preacher and lover of the cross and
an enemy of the world, in blessing the child, gave a remarkable
example of exalting and honoring Christ, who was then des-
pised, cursed and rejected in his own person, and is now treated
in the same manner in his members, who for his sake endure
266 Luther's church postil.
poverty, disgrace, death and all ignominy. Yet nobody will
come to their relief, receive and bless them, but people want to
be pious Christians by praying and fasting, and by bequests
and good works.
The Significance of the Blessing upon Christ's Mother and
Father.
24. Explaining this figuratively, we find that the spiritual
Christ, or his spiritual father and mother, that is to say the
Christian church, with its apostles and followers, is subjected
on earth to all ignominy, being made as the filth of the world,
the off scouring of all things, as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 4, 13.
Therefore It is indeed necessary that they receive blessing and
consolation from some other source, from Simeon in the tem-
ple, which means from the prophets in Holy Scripture, as St.
Paul says in Rom. 15, 4 : "For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience
and through comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope."
25. A Christian must therefore not imagine, nor endeavor
to bring it about, that he may be praised and blessed by the
people of this world. No, it has already been decided that he
must expect reproach and contempt and willingly submit to it.
A blessing he can only expect from Simeon in the temple.
The Scriptures are our comfort, praising and blessing all who
are reproached by the world for Christ's sake. This is the
whole teaching of Psalm 37, also of Psalm 9 and many others,
which tell us that God will rescue all those who suffer in this
world. Thus Moses writes in Gen. 4, 9 that God takes such
great care of pious Abel after his death as to be moved to
vengeance solely by his blood, without having been petitioned
for it, doing more for him after his death than while he was
still living. This shows that he can not forsake even the dead,
nay, he will remember his believers more when they are dead
than while they are living. Again, after Cain had been slain,
he was silent, showing no interest in him.
26. These and similar passages of Scripture are our com-
fort and blessing, if we are Christians ; to them we must cling
SUNDAY AI^TßR CHRISTMAS. 267
and with them we must be satisfied. Here we see how blessed
are those who suffer reproach, and how wretched are those
w^ho persecute us. The former God will never forget nor for-
sake, and the latter he will not acknowledge nor remember.
Could we desire a more abundant, a greater comfort and
blessing? What is the blessing and comfort of this world com-
pared with this consolation and blessing of Simeon in the
temple ?
''And he said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is
set for the falling and rising of many in Israel; and for a sign
ivhieh is spoken against: yea a szvord shall pieree through
thine ozvn soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be re-
vealed.
27. Why does he not say this to the father also, and why
does he call the mother by name? He desires here to address
himself to the real mother, and not to the father. As Jesus
was her own child, all that happened to him naturally also
happened to her and caused her genuine and real pain. Simeon
perhaps also addressed Alary alone for the reason that Joseph
was not to live until the time of the sufferings of Christ, which
the mother would experience alone ; and in addition to all this
sorrow she was to be a poor and lonely widow, and Christ was
to suffer as a poor orphan. This is a situation unspeakably
pitiable, and God himself according to the Scriptures takes
great interest in widows and orphans, calling himself a father
of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows.
28. For Mary lived in all three estates, in the state of vir-
ginity, in that of matrimony, and in that of widowhood, the
latter being the most pitiable, without any protection or aid.
A virgin has her parents, a wife her husband, but the widow
is alone. And in this pitiful condition Simeon announces to
her such great sorrow, thereby showing and explaining to her
that his blessing is a blessing of God and not of the world.
P'or in the sight of the world all was to be reversed and she
vvas not only to be not blessed, but her child also should be-
come the target and aim of everybody's curses, just as bows
and arrows are aimed at the target. Behold, this in my
268 Luther's church postil.
opinion means to be blessed in the temple. It was indeed ne-
cessary that she should be strengthened and comforted by a
spiritual and divine benediction against the arrows of future
curses, for her soul alone was to bear and endure this great
tempest of the execration of her child.
29. Simeon declares in the first place that Christ is set for
the falling and the rising of many in Israel. This then is the
first consolation which his mother was to experience in him
and for which she was to educate him, namely, that many were
to be offended in him, even in Israel, the chosen people. This
is a poor comfort in the judgment of men, that she is the
mother of a son who is to cause many to stumble and fall,
even in Israel. Some have explained this text thus, that many
have been stirred up by Christ and their pride has fallen, so
that they might rise again in humility; just as St. Paul fell
and rose again, and all the self-righteous must fall, despair
of their own strength and rise again in Christ, if they would
be saved. This is a good interpretation, but not exhaustive
here. Simeon says of Christ that many Jews would take offense
at him and stumble, thereby falling into unbelief, just as it
has happened in the past and as it still occurs. It was indeed
a dark picture and a terrible announcement to which this holy
mother had to listen.
30. Not Christ however i's the cause of this fall, but the
presumption of the Jews. It happened in this wise. Christ
came to be a light and Saviour of all the world, as Simeon
said, so that all might be justified and saved by faith in him.
If this is to be brought about, all other righteousness in our-
selves, sought for outside of Christ with works, must be re-
jected. The Jews would not hear of this, as St. Paul says in
Romans 10,3: ''For being ignorant of God's righteousness,
and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject them-
selves to the righteousness of God." Thus they take offense
at faith, fall deeper and deeper into unbelief and become hard-
ened in their own righteousness, so that they have even perse-
cuted with all their might all who believed.
31. All those who would be saved by their own righteous-
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 269
ness must do the same thing. They depend upon their works,
and when faith in Christ is demanded they stumble and fall,
burning, condemning and persecuting all who reject their
works or consider them useless. Such people are the pope,
the bishops, the Scholastics and all the Papists. And this they
do under the impression that they are earnestly serving God,
defending the truth and preserving Christianity, just as the
Jews also pretended to preserve the true service of God and
the law of Moses when they killed the apostles and other Chris-
tians and persecuted them.
32. Therefore, as Simeon here tells the mother of Christ
that not all the people of Israel will receive him as their light
and Saviour, and that not only a few, but many will take
offense at him and fall, so also the spiritual mother of Christ,
that is to say, the Christian Church, must not be surprised
when many false Christians, even among the clergy, will not
believe. For such are the people who depend upon works and
seek their own righteousness, who stumble and fall because
Christ demands faith, and who persecute and kill those that
oppose them. This has been prophesied long ago by the spirit-
ual Simeon, namely the prophets, who almost with one accord
have spoken of this fall. In Isaiah 8, 11-15 we read as fol-
lows: ''For Jehovah spoke thus to me with a strong hand,
and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, say-
ing, Say ye not, A ;conspiracy, concerning all whereof this
people shall say, A conspiracy; neither fear ye their fear, nor
be in dread thereof. Jehovah of hosts, him shall ye sanctify;
and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he
shall be for a sanctuary ; but for a stone of stumbling and for
a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and
for a square to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall
stumble thereon, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and
be taken." There are many more passages from which it can
be shown that Christ must be a rock against which the best
and greatest will stumble, as we read in Ps. 78, 31 : "And he
slew of the fattest of them, and smote down the young men of
Israel." For Christ is set as a Saviour and can not yield nor
270 luthi^r's church postii..
change. But these arrogant people are headstrong and obsti-
nate, will not give up their vanity, and run their head against
Christ, so that one of the two must break and fall. Christ how-
ever must remain and cannot fall ; consequently they fall.
33. Again, as firmly as he stands over against the legalists
and will not yield before them, so immovably he stands also
for all who would found their faith on him, as we read in
Isaiah 28, 16 : "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone,
a tried stone, a precious corner-stone of sure foundation: he
that believeth shall not be in haste." And in Matthew 16, 18 he
says himself: "Upon this rock I will build my church; and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Now, as by
the falling and breaking spoken of in this connection, nothing
else is meant but tmbelief and dependence upon works, so
rising and being built upon this rock means nothing but to be-
lieve and disregard his works. This is done by the believers,
for the rising of whom alone Christ is set. And as in the
times of Christ many among the people of Israel rose in him,
so it will be until the end of the world, for nobody can rise
through his works, or through the doctrines of men, but only
through Christ. This is brought about by faith, as has often
been said, without any merit or works; the works will only
follow, after we have risen.
34. You will perceive therefore how the whole Scriptures
speak only of faith, and reject works as useless, nay, as stand-
ing in the way of justification and preventing us from rising.
For Christ will alone be set for the rising of many, and thost
who will not rise must fall. Nothing can be set beside him'
by which we might rise. Is not the life of the Papists and
priests abominable? For they run their heads against this
rock, and their conduct is so directly opposed to Christianity
that it may indeed be called the sway and government of the
Antichrist. The spiritual Simeon also speaks of this rising to
the spiritual mother of Christ. For all the prophets teach the
Christian Church that only in Christ can all men rise, and St.
Paul in Rom. 1,17 and Heb. 10, 38 quotes the passage from
Habbakkuk 2,4: "But the righteous shall live by his faith,"
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 271
35. We see therefore this falHng and rising by Christ must
be understood spiritually, and that the falling and rising apply
to different classes of people. The falling applies only to those
who are great, learned, mighty and holy, and who trust too
much in themselves. Thus the Gospel tells us that Christ never
had a disagreement nor a conflict with sinners, but he treated
them with the utmost kindness. But with the select people,
the scribes and high-priests he cannot get along, neither is he
gracious to them. If then only those can fall who are standing
up, only those can rise who have fallen and are lying prostrate.
These are the people who know their poverty and long for
grace, who realize that they are nothing and Christ is every-
thing.
36. It is noticeable that Simeon adds the word ''Israel."
For Christ had been promised by all the prophets only to the
people of Israel. At the same time it was announced that
many among that people would fall away only on account of
their self-righteousness. This is indeed a terrible example to
us Gentiles, to whom nothing has been promised; but out of
pure grace we have unexpectedly been brought into the king-
dom and have risen through Christ, as St. Paul tells us in
Romans 15, 9 and as we have said in explaining the Epistle
for the second Sunday in Advent. For this reason the example
of Israel's fall should touch our hearts, as the apostle exhorts
us in Romans 11, 20, that we may not also fall, or perhaps fall
more grievously than the Jews and Turks, being seduced by
Antichrist and bearing the name of Christ to the dishonor of
God and our own harm.
37. In the second place Simeon says that Christ is set for
a sign which is spoken against. Is it not a great pity that the
Saviour and light of the world must be spoken against, con-
demned and rejected, he wdiom the whole world ought to de-
sire and seek ? This shows us the character of the world, and
how our human nature uses the freedom of the will. This
world is the kingdom of Satan and the enemy of God, and does
not only transgress the commandments of God, but with sense-
less rage also persecutes and kills the Saviour, who would help
them to keep God's commandments. But one sin leads to an-
272 Luther's church postil.
other; those who take offense at him must also speak against
him, and cannot do otherwise. On the other hand, those who
rise through him must confess him, testify and preach of him,
and they also cannot do otherwise. But a sword shall pierce
through their souls, as we shall now see.
38. Now give heed to the text. Simeon does not say that
Christ shall be spoken against, but that he is set for a sign
which is spoken against; just as a butt or target is set for the
marksman, so that all bows and guns, arrows and stones may
be aimed at it. Such a target is set up that the shots may be
directed only at it and nowhere else. Thus Christ is the mark
which is noticed by everybody and all opposition is directed
toward him. And although the opponents are at variance with
each other, yet they become united when they oppose Christ.
This is proved by Luke 23, 12, where we read that Pilate and
Herod became friends in their opposition against Christ, while
before they were at enmity between themselves. The Pharisees
and Sadducees could never agree, but in their opposition to
Christ they were united. David speaks of this and expresses
his astonishment in Psalm 2, 12 : "Why do the nations rage,
and the people meditate a vain thing? The kings of the earth
set themselves and the rulers take counsel together, against
Jehovah, and against his anointed."
39. In the same manner the heretics, however strongly they
differed with each other and opposed each other, were never-
theless united in their opposition against the one Christian
Church. Even now, when all the bishops, religious establish-
ments, orders and monasteries are at variance with each other,
so that there are nearly as many sects and different opinions
as heads, yet they are unanimous in their opposition against the
Gospel. Asaph also writes in Psalm 83, 6-8, that many na-
tions conspired against the people of Israel, namely Edom and
the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagarenes, Gebal, and Ammon,
and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre, and As-
syria, yet they were at enmity among one another. Wicked-
ness and falsehood are at variance with themselves, but they are
united against truth and righteousness, every attack and oppo-
sition being directed toward this mark. They believe to have
SUNDAY AI^TER CHRISTMAS. 273
good reason for this. For every faction fights against its own
adversary, Pilate against Herod, the Pharisees against the
Sadducees, Arius against SabelHus, the monks against the
priests. But every faction has its adherents and friends, and
their discord or harmony is only partial.
40. But Christ is very impolite and unreasonable, rebuking
them all, Pilate being as much to him as Herod, and the
Pharisees as much as the Sadducees, so that he does not take
the part of any of them. Therefore, as he is against all of
them, so they are all against him. Thus truth is opposed to all
lies and falsehoods, and therefore all lies are united against
the truth and make of it a sign which is spoken against. It
must needs be so. For Christ and the truth find not a single
man pious and pleasing to God, as we read in Psalm 116, 11 :
"All men are liars." Therefore Christ must rebuke them in-
discriminately and reject their vrorks, so that they all may feel
the need of his grace and long for it. But only a few will be-
lieve and accept this.
41. Thus we have here two Simeons. The literal Simeon
tells Mary that Christ in his own person is set for a sign which
is spoken against. In these words he indicates v/hat the spir-
itual Simeon, that is to say the prophets, w^ould teach the
church concerning our Christian faith, namely that this faith
and Gospel, the living word of truth is a rock at which many
will stumble and by the help of which many will rise, and that
it finally is a sign which is spoken against. Thus Isaiah ex-
presses his surprise when he says in chapter 53, 1 : "Who hath
beheved our message?" just as if he would declare that not
many believe it. In Isaiah 8, 15 and 28, 13 we also read that
many will stumble at this word, so that hardly the dregs of
the people will be saved. The prophets have written copiously
of this falling, rising, and speaking against.
42. Simeon has declared before that Christ is the light and
Saviour of all the world, which has also been declared by the
prophets. This shows us the character of Christ and his atti-
tude toward the world. But when Simeon speaks of falling,
rising, and speaking against, he shows what Christ will achieve,
what is the character of the world, and what attitude it takes
274 Luther's church postii..
toward Christ. Thus it appears that Christ is indeed wilHng
and qualified to be the light and Saviour of all the world, and
abundantly demonstrates himself as such. But the world will
not receive him and becomes only worse, opposing and perse-
cuting him with all its strength.
43. This shows us that this world is the kingdom of Satan,
not only full of wickedness and blindness, but also loving these
things, as Christ says in John 3, 19: ''The light is come into
the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light."
Behold, how we sojourn on earth among devils and the ene-
mies of God, so that indeed this life ought to be a horror
for us.
44. From this we learn to be assured that we may comfort
ourselves and cheerfully bear up when many people stumble
at our Word and speak against our faith, especially the great,
the learned, and the priests. This is a sign that our message
and faith is right, for it receives the treatment foretold by
Simeon and all the prophets. They must take offense at it,
stumble over it, rise by it, and speak against it ; it cannot be
otherwise. He who would have it otherwise must look for an-
other Christ. Christ is set for the falling and rising of many
in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against ; consequently
his members, or every Christian, must be like him on account
of his faith and his message. He is called "antilegumenous,"
he who is spoken against. His doctrine must be rejected, con-
demned and execrated as the worst heresy, error and foolish-
ness. It is treated rightly when this is done; but when this
does not take place, then we have neither Christ, nor his
mother, nor Simeon, nor the prophets, nor faith, nor the Gos-
pel nor any Christians. For what does speaking against mean
but to deny, blaspheme, curse, condemn, reject, prohibit and
persecute with all disgrace and ignominy as the worst heresy?
45. But we find still another consolation in our text.
Simeon says that Christ is a sign which is spoken against,
which however will not be overthrown or exterminated. The
whole world may condemn my faith and my Word, call it
heresy and misrepresent and pervert it in the most shameful
rnanner, but they must let it remain and cannot take it from
SUNDAY AI^TER CHRISTMAS. 275
me. With all their rage and fury they will accomplish noth-
ing, but can only speak against me, and I must be their mark
and target. Yet they will fall, and I shall stand. Let them
speak against me as much as they desire, God will also oppose
them and with his deeds contend against their words. We shall
see who will win the victory. Here are the deeds of God,
which establish this sign firmly and solidly upon a good foun-
dation. A goal is set up by God, who will upset it? But the
others have no more than fleeting words and an impotent
breath of the mouth. The flies make a great fluttering with
their wings and sharpen their bills, but they only defile the wall
and must let it stand.
46. From this it follows that the doctrine and faith of the
pope, the bishops, the religious establishments, the monasteries
and the universities is of the world and of the devil, for no
one takes offense at them or speaks against them, neither do
they suffer any harm. They reap nothing but honor, power,
riches, peace and pleasure, and fatten themselves at the crib,
with the exception of a few that may sometimes be found who
are tormented by the devil with spiritual temptations concern-
ing their faith and hope. For where Christ is and his faith,
there is also opposition, otherwise it is not Christ. If men do
not oppose openly, devils do it secretly. These are sore temp-
tations to unbelief, despair and blasphemy. Such people may
be preserved and saved. The great multitude however lives
without Christ, without Mary, without Simeon, without the
least truth, but meanwhile they read many masses, sing high
and low, wear tonsures and ecclesiastical vestments and are
the apes of Solomon and like Indian cats. As they will not
suffer to be spoken against and are not worthy of it, have noth-
ing and do nothing that would call forth opposition, they be-
come opponents themselves. What else could they do? It is
their work to condemn, forbid, curse and persecute the truth.
47. I mention all this because I want to do my duty and
point out to every Christian his danger, so that all may beware
of the pope, the scholastics and the priests and shun them as
they shun the kingdom of Satan, for the Word of God does
not prevail among them. Cling to the Gospel and find out
276 Luther's church postil.
where there is opposition and where there is praise. Where
you find no opposition, there Christ is not present; and here
we do not mean opposition from the Turks, but from our
nearest neighbors. Christ is not a sign set for the falHng of
many in Babylon or Assyria, but in Israel, that is to say among
the people in the midst of whom he dwells and who boast to
be his own.
48. In the third place Simeon says to Mary: "A sword
shall pierce through thine own soul." This does not mean an
actual sword, but must be understood figuratively, just like
Psalms 107, 10: "Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow
of death, being bound in affliction and iron," also Deut. 4, 20 :
"Jehovah hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the
iron furnaces." It means that her heart was to be filled with
great sorrow and grief, although her body would not be tor-
tured. Everybody knows how this happened. Thus we must
take these words as a Hebrew figure of speech, expressing
great sorrow and grief,- just as we speak of a "heart-rending
sorrow," or use expressions like "my heart is breaking" or
"my heart will burst."
49. We shall speak more about this during the Passion
season, when we consider the sufferings of Christ. At present
we can only notice how Simeon interprets his blessing by pre-
dicting such sorrow, in order that it might not be understood
as a worldly blessing. But what does it signify that Simeon
here speaks only to ]\Iary, the mother, and not to Joseph? It
signifies that the Christian Church, the spiritual virgin Alary,
will remain on earth and will not be exterminated although the
preacher and their faith and the Gospel, the spiritual Christ,
are persecuted. Thus Joseph died before Christ suffered, and
Mary in her widowhood was deprived of her child, yet she
lived, and all this grief overwhelmed her soul. Thus the
Christian Church will always be a widow, feeling great sor-
row because the holy fathers, represented by Joseph, die, and
the Gospel is persecuted. The Church must feel the sword,
and will yet remain until the last day.
50. What can be more painful for a Christian than to see
and experience how furiously the tyrants and unbelievers
SUNDAY A^TßR CHRISTMAS. 27 <
persecute and exterminate the Gospel of Christ? This is done
more at the present time under the pope than ever before
With this agrees the name of Mary, which means a "sea of
bitterness." This declares that there is in her not only a drop,
nor a river, but a whole sea of bitterness, for all the waves of
sorrow go over her, so that she may indeed be called Mary, a
bitter sea.
51. Finally Simeon says that all this will happen that
thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. What a blessed
and necessary fruit of this falling and speaking against! But
in order to understand this we must notice that there are two
different kinds of temptation among men. There is the temp-
tation to gross sins, as for instance to be disobedient to parents,
to kill, to be unchaste, to steal, to lie and blaspheme, etc., which
are sins against the second table of the law. The people who
do these things need not take offense at a sign which is spoken
against; their thoughts are sufficiently revealed by their evil
life. The Scriptures speak little of this temptation.
52. But the most dangerous temptation is prefigured by
Cozbi the daughter of Zur, a prince of Midian, because of
whom twenty-four thousand were slain in Israel, as Moses
writes in Numbers 25, 15. This is the temptation through
the bright and shining sins of good works and the service of
God, which bring misfortune upon the whole world and against
which nobody can guard sufficiently. These are the sins against
the first table of the law, against faith, the honor of God and
his works.
53. For a life of good w^orks, blameless conduct and out-
ward respectability is the greatest, most dangerous and de-
structive stumbling-block. The people leading such lives are so
upright, reasonable, honorable and pious that scarcely a single
soul could have been preserved or saved, if God had not set up
a sign against which they might stumble and by which the
thought of their hearts might be revealed. Thus we see their
hearts behind their beautiful words and good works, and find
that these great saints and wise men are pagans and fools ; for
they persecute the faith for the sake of their works and will
not suffer their ways to be rebuked. Thus their thoughts are
278 Luther's church postii..
laid bare and they become manifested as trusting in their own
works and themselves, sinning not only continually against the
first commandments, but endeavoring also in their enmity
against God to exterminate and destroy all that belongs to God,
claiming to do this for the sake of God and to preserve the
truth. Behold, such are the pope, the bishops and almost all
the priests, who have filled the world with innumerable snares
and stumbling-blocks by making an external glitter of the
spiritual life. Among them there is no faith, but only works,
the Gospel does not prevail, but only human laws.
54. The whole Scriptures speak of this stumbling-block,
and God with all his prophets and saints contends against it.
This is the true gate of hell and the broad highway to eternal
damnation, wherefore this harlot is w^ell called Cozbi, "menda-
cium meum," my lie. Everything that glitters lies and deceives,
but her beautiful ornaments and embellishments deceive even
the princes of Israel, and so she is not merely called "menda-
cium," but "meum mendacium," my lie, because with her de-
ception she attracts and tempts almost everybody.
55. But in order to protect us God has set up his Christ as
a sign, at which they might stumble and fall and which they
oppose, so that w^e may not be seduced by their works and
words, nor «consider them good and imitate them. We should
rather know that before God no moral life without faith is
acceptable ; where there is no faith, there is only Cozbi, nothing
but lies and deception. This becomes manifest as soon as we
preach against them and consider their works worthless in
comparison with faith. Behold, then you must be a heretic
with your faith ; they reveal themselves and disclose their heart
before you unwillingly and unknowingly. Then you perceive
the shocking abominations of unbelief hidden behind that
beautiful life, the wolves in sheep's clothing, the harlot adorned
with the wreath, impudently demanding that you consider her
disgrace and vice, her honor and virtue, or threatening to kill
you. Therefore God says to her Jer. 3, 3 : "Thou hadst a
harolt's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed," and Isaiah 3,
9: "The show of their countenance doth witness against
them ; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not."
SUNDAY AFTe:r CHRISTMAS. 279
Would she not be considered a mad and impudent harlot who
would have her adultery extolled even before her husband?
But this is being done by all the preachers of works and faith-
less teachers, who shamelessly preach righteousness by works,
but icondemn faith, or conjugal chastity, who call their lewdness
chastity, but true chastity they call lewdness. Now all this might
remain hidden, and human nature and reason might never dis-
cover such vices, for their works are too attractive and their
manners too polished. Indeed, human nature devises all this
and delights in it, believing it to be well and right, persisting
and becoming hardened in it. Therefore God sets up a sign
that our nature may stumble and everybody may learn how
much higher is the Christian life than nature and reason.
The virtues of nature are sins, its light is darkness its ways
are errors. We need an entirely new heart and nature; the
natural heart reveals itself as an enemy of God.
56. This is prefigured by the Philistines, 1 Sam. 5, 6, whom
God smote with tumors when the ark of God was with them.
The tumors are the thoughts of unbelieving hearts, breaking
out when the ark of God comes to them, that is to say when
the Gospel and Christ are preached, which they will not tole-
rate. Thus it happens that the hearts of these saints, which
otherwise could not be known, become revealed when Christ
is held up before them. St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 2, 15 : "But
he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged
of no man," for he knows their disposition and the attitude
of their hearts when he perceives that they do not accept the
Word of God and faith.
II. OF ANNA.
The Second Part Of This Gospel.
"And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of
Phanuel of the tribe of Asher {she was of a great age, having
lived zvith a husband seven years from her virginity, and she
had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), zvho
departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and
supplications night and day."
280 LUTTTKr'S CITURCn tostit,.
57. Here some might say: From the example of Anna
you see that good works are exalted, as for instance fasting
and praying and going to church, therefore they must not be
condemned. But who has ever condemned good works? We
only reject hypocritical and spurious good works. Fasting,
praying, going to church are good works, if they are done in
the right spirit. But the trouble is that these blockheads explain
the Scriptures so awkwardly, noticing only the works and
examples of the saints and thinking that now they are able
to learn from them and imitate them. Thus they become noth-
ing but apes and hypocrites, for they do not perceive that the
Scriptures speak more of the heart than of the deeds of men.
The sacrifice and works of Abel are praised in Scripture, but
he himself a great deal more. They however disregard the
person and observe only the example, take notice of the works
and pay no heed to faith, eat the bran and throw away the
flour, as we read in Rosea 3, 1 : "They turn unto other gods,
and love cakes of raisins." If you desire to fast and pray like
Anna, well and good. But take good care that first of all you
imitate her character, and then her works. Be first of all like
Anna. But let us see what Luke says of her works and her
character, so that her example may be correctly understood.
58. In the first place he says that she was a prophetess, and
undoubtedly a devout, godly prophetess. Most assuredly the
Holy Spirit dwelled in her, and consequently she was good and
righteous regardless of all her works. Therefore the works
which she produced must also have been good and righteous.
So you see that Luke does not want to say that through her
works she became holy and a prophetess, but she was a holy
prophetess before, and for this reason her works were also
good. Why would you mutilate this example and pervert the
Gospel, paying most attention to the works, while Luke de-
scribes first of all the whole person, and not only the works?
59. In the second place he praises her as a widow, who
did works becoming her widowhood and her station In life.
But he would not represent them as being unusual and the only
good works whereby we can serve God, rejecting all others.
St. Paul writes of the life of widows In 1 Tim. 5, 3-6 as fol-
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 281
lows : "Honor widows that are widows indeed. But if any
widow hath children or grandchildren, let them learn first to
show piety toward their own family, and to requite their par-
ents : for this is acceptable in the sight of God. Now she that
is a widow indeed, and desolate, hath her hope set on God, and
continueth in supplications and prayers night and day." But
she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth."
60. From this you see that Anna must have been a w^idow,
alone in the world, without any children or parents to take care
of, otherwise she would not have served God but the devil by
not departing from the temple and neglecting her duty of
managing her household according to the will of God. Luke
indicates this when he writes that she had been a widow even
for fourscore and four years. Everybody may then easily cal-
culate that her parents must have been dead and her children
provided for, so that as an aged mother she was cared for b\
them and she did not have anything to do but to pray and
fast and forego all worldly pleasures. Luke does not say that
all the eighty-four years of her life were spent in this manner ;
but at the time when Christ was born and brought into the
temple she began to lead such a life, when all things, as well
as her children and parents, were provided for and she was
entirely alone.
6L It is therefore a dangerous thing to take notice only of
the works, and fail to consider the whole character of a person,
as well as his station and calling. God cannot bear to see any
one neglect the duties of his calling or station in life in order
to imitate the works of the saints. If therefore a married
woman were to follow Anna in this respect, leave her husband
and children, her home and parents in order to go on a pil-
grimage, to pray, fast and go to church, she would do nothing
else but tempt God, confound the matrimonial estate with the
state of widowhood, desert her own calling and do works be-
longing to others. This would be as much as walking on one's
ears, putting a veil over one's feet and a boot on one's head,
and turning all things upside down. Good works should be
done, and you ought to pray and fast, but you must not thereby
be kept from or neglect the duties of your calling- and station.
282 i^uther's church postil.
The service of God does not consist in the performance of one
or two special deeds, nor is it bound to any particular calling,
but God may be served in every calling. The duty of Anna
and all widows who like her are alone, is praying and fasting,
and here St. Luke agrees with St. Paul. The duty of married
women is not only praying and fasting, but they should govern
their children and household according to the will of God and
care for their parents, as St. Paul says in 1 Tim. 5, 4 : For this
reason the Evangelist, in describing the life of Anna takes
such great care to mention her station and age, so that he
may discourage those who would take notice only of her deeds
and draw poison from roses. He first of all draws attention
to her calling.
62. In the third place, the same reason prompts him to
write that she lived with a husband seven years from her vir-
ginity. Here he exalts the state of matrimony and the duties
of that estate, so that nobody may think that he considers only
praying and fasting as good works. For she did not devote
herself entirely to praying and fasting while she lived with
her husband, or during the time of her maidenhood, but only
after she had become an aged and lonely widow. Yet her
virginity and her wedded life with its duties are also praised
and help up as an example of truly good works. Why would
you disregard them and only cleave to the deeds of the widow?
63. And with good purpose does the Evangelist first praise
her wedded life and then her widowhood, for he wanted to
cut the ground entirely from under the feet of the blind
legalists. She was a godly maiden, a godly wife, and a godly
widow, and in all these three estates she performed her re-
spective duties.
64. May you then do likewise. Reflect on your condition,
and you will find enough good works to do if you would lead
a godly life. Every calling has its own duties, so that we need
not inquire for others outside of our station. Behold, then
we will truly serve God, just as Luke says that Anna wor-
shiped with fastings and supplications night and day. But the
legalists do not serve God, but themselves, nay, the devil, for
they do not perform their duties and forsake their own calling.
SUNDAY AF*TE:r CHRISTMAS. 283
Thus it depends entirely upon the character of the person and
his calUng whether his works are good, as we have said above
in explaining the Gospel for the Day of St. John the Evangelist.
This may suffice for the present. Let us now see what Anna
means spiritually.
The Spiritual Meaning of Anna, the Prophetess,
65. We said in §11 and 12 that by Simeon are signified the
holy prophets, who have spoken of Christ in Holy Scripture.
Therefore Anna must signify those who stands by and hear
this message assenting to it and applying it to themselves,
as did Anna, who stood by when Simeon spoke of Christ.
Thus Anna means nothing but the holy Synagogue, the people
of Israel, whose life and history are recorded in the Bible. For
Anna is found in the temple, that is to say in the Scripture.
And as Mary signifies the Christian Church, the people of God
after the birth of Christ, so Anna signifies the people of God
before Christ's birth. Therefore Anna is wellnigh a hundred
years old and near her death, while Mary is young and in the
prime of life. Thus the Synagogue was on the wane at the
time of Christ, while the Church was in its beginning.
66. It is then indicated here that the saints before the
birth of Christ have understood and believed the massage of
the prophets and all have been saved in Christ and by faith
in him, as Christ says of Abraham : ''Your father Abraham
rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad"; also
Luke 10, 24 : 'Tor I say unto you, that many prophets and
kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not ;
and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not."
Paul says in Hebr. 13, 8: "J^^us Christ is the same yesterday
and today, yea and for ever," and more plainly in 1 Cor. 10,
1-4: "For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our
fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the
sea ; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the
sea ; and did all eat the same spiritual food ; and did all drink
the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock
that followed them : and the rock was Christ." Such and
similar passages prove that all the saints before the birth of
'284 . i,uthkr's church tosth..
Christ have like us been saved in Christ. Therefore we read
in Hebr. 11 of examples of faith, of Abel, Enoch, Noah,
Abraham, Moses and others, who spent their lives in Christ
and for Christ who heard him and through the prophet's words
knew him, believed in him and waited for his coming.
67. For this reason all the narratives of the Old Testa-
ment so beautifully answer Christ and testify of him with one
accord, standing around him just as Anna here literally stood
near him. It is a great delight to read and perceive how they
all look and point at Christ. Let us notice only one example.
Isaac was sacrificed by his father and yet his life was spared,
a ram being substituted for him, which Abraham saw behind
him caught in the thicket by his horns. Here Christ, the Son
of God, is prefigured, who like a mortal man died on the cross.
Yet the divine nature did not die, the human nature being
sacrificed in its place which is designated in the ram that by
his horns (this is to say the preaching of the Gospel, rebuking
and punishing the perversity and obstinacy of the scribes and
priests) was caught in this thicket, being behind Abraham,
that is to say coming after him. Many more important lessons
might be learned from this narrative.
68. So Joseph was sold into Egypt, and after having been
in prison became the ruler of the whole land, Gen. 37 and 41.
This occurred and was recorded that Christ might be pre-
figured, who through his sufiferings became the Lord of all
the world. But who has time enough to' explain all these
narratives and to show how Samson, David, Solomon, Aaron
and others are appropriate and perfect types of Christ?
60. Luke therefore here uses the word ''epistasa" with
reference to Anna, which means that she stood over, or beside,
or near that which happened to Christ in the temple. In the
Latin text we read "superveniens," meaning that she came
near at that time. This is also true, but the other expression,
that she "stood over" what happened, is better. It means that
she pressed forward with great earnestness to see him. Thus
we say: How the people press forward to see this or that.
Thus do the narratives of Holy Writ act toward Christ, in
order that they may typify him.
SUNDAY A^rm CHRISTMAS. 28o
70. Yet the saints would not have been saved by this, and
probably they did not know at the time that by their deeds
thev became types of Christ. For our faith cannot be based
upon figures and interpretations, but it must first of all be
established upon clear passages of Scripture, which must be
explained according to the natural meaning of the words.
Then, after the foundation for faith has been laid by the words
of Scripture, such interpretations of history must be based
upon faith, which is thereby nourished and strengthened.
Therefore, as I have said, they were types of Christ only in
their outward conduct and w^orks, through which nobody
could have been sanctified, but they heartily believed in the
Christ v/ho was to come, w^hom they literally knew from clear
passages of Holy Writ.
71. Thus Christ was promised to Adam and Eve after the
fall, when God said to the serpent. Gen. 3, 15 : "I will put
enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and
her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his
heel." This promise holds good for Adam and Eve, and they
believed in the seed of the woman, who was to bruise the
head of the serpent. So it was until the time of Noah, to whom
another promise was given when God said, Gen. 6, 18 : "But
I will establish my covenant with thee." When, therefore,
Eve bore Cain, her first son (Gen. 4, 1) she rejoiced and be-
lieved him to be the seed of whom God had spoken, saying:
"I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah," as if she
were to say: This will be the man, the seed, who is, to fight
against the serpent. She desired to see Christ, but the time
was not yet come. Afterwards she realized that Cain was
not the Saviour and that her faith must look forward to an-
other woman.
72. Then came the clear promise to Abraham (Gen. 12,3
and 22,18), to whom God said: 'In thy seed shall all the
nations of the earth be blessed," of which we have spoken in
explaining the Epistle. The faith of all the saints before
the birth of Christ until the time of his coming was based
upon this promise, so that this passage may also be referred
to by the "bosom of Abraham", of which Christ speaks in
286 i^uthkr's church postil.
Luke 16,22. Such a promise was indeed also made to David,
but only by the virtue of the promise to Abraham. This child
of Mary then is the seed of the woman, waging war against
the serpent in order to destroy sin and death. Therefore we
read in the text that the seed is to bruise the head of the
serpent, by which undoubtedly the serpent is meant that
seduced Eve, namely Satan in the serpent, and Adam
and Eve certainly understood it thus. Who will show
us another son or seed bruising the head? If it had been said
of a mere man, it might as well be understood of Adam as
of any of his children. Yet not Adam, nor a child of Adam,
was to do it, but a woman's, a virgin's child.
73. It is well said, In distinction, that this seed is to bruise
Satan's head, the seat of life; Satan however will not bruise
the head of the seed, but his heel, or the sole of his foot. This
means that Satan indeed injures, destroys and kills the ex-
ternal, bodily Hfe and activity of Christ; but the head, that
is to say the divine nature, remains alive and even raises
from death the heel, or the human nature, which was bruised
by Satan. So in all Christians he Injures and destroys their
life and work, thus bruising their heels ; but he cannot touch
the head, or faith, and therefore their life and work will also
be restored. On the other hand, Satan's feet remain, his
strength and fury are great; but his head, that is to say sin
and the inmost essence of his life, are bruised. Therefore his
feet must die eternally with sin and death. Behold, in this
manner did God save the saints of old by his Word and their
faith, and has kept them from sin and the power of the devil
until the coming of Christ, signified by this saintly Anna.
74. For this reason she does not take the Infant Christ
Into her arms like Simeon, neither does she speak concerning
him like Simeon, but she stands by and speaks about him to
others. For the dear fathers of old and the saints have not
uttered prophecies concerning Christ like the prophets, neither
have they spoken of him, but they have taken the greatest
interest in the announcement of the prophets, have believed
them firmly and transmitted them to other people and genera-
tions, just as Luke here says of Anna.
SUNDAY AFTßR CHRISTMAS. 287
75. Everything agrees with this that Luke here relates of
her. In the first place, she is a prophetess, that is to say, she
has the insight of the prophets. Thus all the saints of old
have apprehended Christ in the passages of Scripture by faith,
and consequently they were all prophets.
76. In the second place, she is called Anna, which in Latin
is "gratia", meaning favor or grace. The two names, Anna
and John (Johannes) are almost one in Hebrew. Anna means
gracious, or one who is favored. This signifies that the fathers
and saints of old have not received such faith and the promise
of God by their own merit, but by the favor and grace of
God, according to whose mercy they were pleasing in his
sight. In the same manner all men are not acceptable and
pleasing to God on account of their worthiness, but only by
the grace of God. This is also the way of human nature,
which often shows a predilection for something that is un-
attractive, and it is a common saying among us that love and
favor may as likely fall upon a frog as upon purple, or that
nobody can make us dislike what we love. Thus God loves
us who are sinful and unworthy, and we are all favored by
him. We are all Johns and Annas in his sight.
77. In the third place, she is a dauther of Phanuel. After
Jacob had wrestled with the angel. Gen. 32, 30, he called the
name of the place Peniel or Phanuel, and said : "I have seen
God face to face, and my life is preserved." Peniel or Phanuel
means "face of God". Now the face of God is nothing but
the knowledge of God, and God can only be known by faith
in his Word. The Word and promises of God declare nothing
but comfort and grace in Christ, and whoever believes them
beholds the grace and goodness of God. This is the knowledge
of God, which cheers and blesses the heart, as David says in
Psalm 4, 6-7 : "Jehovah, lift thou up the light of thy coun-
tenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart," and
Psalm 80, 3 : "And cause thy face to shine, and we shall be
saved." We read much in Scripture concerning the hiding
and showing of the countenance of God.
78. Behold, in this way the fathers and saints of old were
spiritual children of Phanuel, of divine knowledge and wis-
288 luthe:r's church postil.
doni, which filled them with joy. To this they attained by
faith in the divine promise and thus they became prophets.
But faith and the promises of God they obtained only because
they were favored by him, out of God's pure grace and mercy.
79. This brings us to the fourth point, namely that she was
of the tribe of Asher. Asher means happiness (Gen. 30, 13).
Faith makes us children of divine wisdom and blessedness.
For faith destroys sin and redeems from death, as Christ says
in Mark 16, 16: *'He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved." To be saved means nothing but redemption from sin
and death.
80. Anna then is a daugther of Phanuel and Asher, full
of wisdom and having a good conscience in the face of all
sins and the terrors of death. All this is bestowed by faith
in the divine promise of mercy; and thus one follows the
other: Anna, the prophetess, a daughter of Phanuel, of the
tribe of Asher. This means that we obtain the promise of
God and believe in it only by divine grace, whereby we learn
to know God and his goodness thoroughly, which fills the heart
with joy, security and blessedness, and delivers us completely
from sin and death.
81. We come now in the Hfth place to the more profound
and spiritual interpretations. She lived with a husband seven
years, and after that was a widow for eighty-four years, with-
out a husband. Had one sufficient time and skill he might find
the whole Bible contained in this number. But in order that
we may see how, as Christians, we do not need Aristotle or
human lore, but have in the Scriptures enough to study for all
eternity, if we should so desire. Let us also consider this
number in connection with the wonders of Scripture men-
tioned before. The number seven is commonly taken to signify
our temporal life, the Hfe of this body, because all time is
measured by the seven days of the week (Gen. 1), which is
the first and best standard for the measurement of time, estab-
lished by the Scriptures. For in Gen. 1 Moses writes that
God first created days and appointed seven of them as a
definite period of time. Of weeks were then made months,
and of months years, into which our whole life is devided.
SUNDAY AFT^R CHRISTMAS. 28^
These seven years therefore signify the whole course of the
temporal life and conduct of the saints of old.
82. But who was the husband ? St. Paul explains in Rom.
7, 2 that a husband signifies the law. For as a woman is bound
to her husband while he liveth, so all are bound to the law,
who live under it. Now the law has been given to no people
on earth except to this Anna, the Jewish people, as Paul says
in Rom. 3, 2 that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
In Psalm 147,19-20 we read: "He showeth his word unto
Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. He hath
not dealt so with any nation ; and as for his ordinances, they
have not known them;" also Psalm 103, 7: "He made known
his ways unto Moses, his doings unto the children of Israel."
The Gospel however he did not reveal only to one nation, but
to all the world, as we read in Psalm 19, 4 : "Their line is
gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end
of the world," which means the words of the apostles. There-
fore Anna, who lived seven years with her husband, signifies
the people of Israel under the law, in their outward conduct
and temporal life.
83. Now we have heard in the Epistle for today that those
who live under the law do not live aright, for they do the
works of tlie law unwillingly and without delight, and are
bond-servants, not children. For the law will hold no one
righteous who does not keep it willingly. Such willingtiess
however is only bestowed by faith, as has often been said.
Faith will produce righteous works and fulfill the law. It
is all the same to the believer whether he is under the law or
free from it, seeing that Christ also was under the law.
84. But St. Luke, or rather the Holy Spirit, desires to
show that this saintly Anna, the holy people of old, was
not only under the law and a bond-servant. He points out
that besides her life under the law she also walked in the free-
dom of faith and the Spirit, fulfilling the law not only with
outward works like a bond-servant, but rather in faith. This
is signified by the eighty-four years of her widowhood, mean-
ing the spiritual life of faith led by the saints of old. For the
widowhood, the life without a husband, signifies freedom from
the linv. Thus the life under the law and the life of faitli
290 Luther's church postil.
existed, side by side. The belivers of old, as to their souls
were justified without the works of the law, alone by faith,
and in this respect they were truly widows; but in their ex-
ternal conduct and as to their bodies they were subject to the
law. They did not, however, believe that they were justified
by works, but having been justified by faith, they kept the law
voluntarily, cheerfully and to the glory of God. He who lives
in this manner may also do the works of the law, w^ilch will
not harm him nor make a bond-servant of him, for Christ
and the apostles also have kept the law. Behold, tliese are
the people who at the same time live seven years with a hus-
band and eighty-four years without a husband, who at the
same time are free from the law and yet under the law. as St.
Paul says of himself in 1 Cor. 9, 20 : '*I am to them that are
under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law."
85. How can he be at the same time under the law and
free from the law? In order to gain others he gladly per-
formed the external works of the law, but in his heart he clung
to faith, by which he was justified, without the works of the
law. For he fulfilled the law, and yet would not be jusi^Tied
by it, which indeed is impossible. In this manner Anna, the
holy people, has kept the law. For whoever believes and has
been justified by faith, may keep not only the law of God, but
the laws of the whole world, and they will not hinder him ; for
he keeps them volutarily, not in the opinion that thereby he
acquires righteousness. But those people who only follow
Anna in this that they live seven years with a husband, and
do not live eighty-four years without a husband, are without
the Spirit and faith and are bond-servants. They believe that
by doing the works of the law they become righteous. But
in this manner they can never become righteous and pious, as
today's Epistle sufficiently explains. It is well arranged that
first the seven years of wedded life and then the eighty-four
years of widowhood are mentioned, for St. Paul also says in
1. Cor. 15,4(1: "Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual,
but that which is natural."
86. If man is to become spiritual and a believer, he must
SUNDAY A^TER CHRISTMAS. 291
necessarily first be under the law; for no one can know his
faults without the law, and he who does not know his sin will
not long for grace. But the law demands so much that man
must realize and confess that he is unable to satisfy those de-
mands. Then he must despair of himself and in all humiHty
sigh for the grace of God. Behold, therefore the seven years
come first, the law precedes grace as John the Baptist was
the forerunner of Christ. The law kills and condemns the
natural, sensual man, so that grace may Hft up the spiritual,
inner man.
87. There is, however, nothing said of the years of Anna's
virginity, which signifies the unfruitful life before either the
law or grace has been in operation, and which is worthless
before God. Therefore virginity as a barren state was al-
together despised and disapproved in the Old Testament.
88. *But how is it that faith or the spiritual life of the inner
man, which without the law is widowed, without a husband,
is signified by the number 84 ? Let us here follow the example
of St. Augustine and try to find out the allegorical significance.
Every one knows that the numbers seven and twelve are the
most glorious in Holy Scripture. For these two numbers are
mentioned frequently, undoubtedly because there were twelve
apostles who founded and established the faith in all the world,
and who exalted only faith by their doctrine and life. Whereas
the one Moses received the law from the angels, threby uniting
Anna to a husband and demanding outward works from men.
Thus the apostles, who were twelve times more in number
than Moses, received the Gospel, not from angels, but from
* Paragraphs 88-93, which are not found in the edition of 1540
or the following editions, were inserted in the complete Witten-
berg edition of 1563, vol. IV, 472 with the following superscrip-
tion: "The following part of the explanation of the Gospel Luke
2 for the Sunday after Christmas, on the words: "And she had
been a widow even unto fourscore and four years," was left out
f the Church Postil, because it speaks only of the spiritual mean-
ing of the numbers seven, twelve and eighty-four. But we have
inserted it here so that it might not be lost in the course of time.
From this short portion of the sermon it may especially be seen
with what great diligence and zeal this sainted man examined the
Holy Scriptures, investigating everything as thorougly as possible."
See Erl. Ed. 10, 261.
292 luthe:r's church postiu
the Lord himself, and made us widows, free by faith and
justified without works. Now the saints of old, as we have
said before, possessed this apostolic faith along with the law.
Therefore they have not only acquired the number seven, but
also the number twelve, have not only possessed the one
Moses, but also the apostles who were twelve times more, have
lived as well under the law as free from the law, as we have
heard before. Thus the number seven signifies the one Moses,
and the number twelve times as many as Moses. It is there-
fore unquestionable that the number twelve signifies the apos-
tles, the apostolic doctrine, the apostolic faith, the true widow-
hood, the spiritual life without the law. So also the number
seven signifies Moses, the teaching of Moses, the works of
the law, the real matrimonial state of bondage.
89. The twelve apostles are typified by the twelve patri-
archs, the twelve precious stones on the holy garment of
Aaron, the twelve princes of the people of Israel, the twelve
stones taken out of the Jordan, the twelve foundations and
gates of the new Jerusalem etc. For the whole Scriptures em-
phasize faith and the Gospel, preached and established by the
apostles. Thus this faith is also signified by these eighty-four
years, which contains the number twelve in a wonderful man-
ner.
90. In the first place, eighty-four is equal to twelve times
seven. This signifies that the teacher of the law is only one,
Moses, being only one time seven, that is to say the law and
the life under the law. But the apostles are twelve, twelve
times as many as Moses. Eighty-four bears the same relation
to seven as twelve does to one. Now as the law was given
through one and the Gospel through twelve, it is evident that
seven signifies ]\Ioses and eighty-four the apostles. So the
disciples of Moses are represented by Anna in the state of
matrimony, while the widow Anna signifies the followers of
the apostles, the former cnipliasizing external conduct, the
latter a life in the Spirit and in faith. This also signifies that
faith exceeds the works as much as twelve exceeds the number
one, or eighty-four the number seven. It comprises the whole
sum and inheritance, as also the apostles calls it "holokleros",
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 293
the whole inheritance, 1 Thess. 5, 23 ; for the number twelve
comprises all the people of Israel, divided into twelve tribes.
He who believes possesses all things, is an heir of heaven and
a blessed child of God. — Notice also the divine arrangement
here. As Anna was not a widow for twelve years nor a
married woman for one yar, God ordained it so that the years
of her wedded life were seven and those of her widowhood
eighty-four in number, the former number bearing the same
relation to the latter that one does to twelve. Besides this,
there is thus also found, as we have seen, a greater spiritual
significance in the number seven, in her wedded life and in
the state of her widowhood.
91. In the second place, the arithmeticians divide numbers
into so-called aliquot parts, that is to say they examine how
often a given number may be divided into equal parts. Thus
the number twelve may be divided five times into equal parts.
For twelve, in the first place, is twelve times one, all aliquot
parts ; secondly, six times two ; thirdly, four times three ;
fourthly, three times four; fifthly, two times six. In this case
there can be no further division into aliquot parts. Seven and
five are also twelve ; likewise three and nine, one and eleven,
but those numbers are not aliquot parts of twelve. Now they
add together these aliquot parts to find their sum. Thus, the
aliquot parts of twelve are 1, 2, 3, 4, G, which added together
make 16, exceeding the number itself by four. This is called
the abundant number, because the sum of the aliquot parts
exceeds the number itself. Again, sometimes the aliquot parts
of a number added together make less than the number itself.
For instance eight is eight times one, four times two, two
times four. But 1, 2, and 4 maks only seven, one less than
eight. This is called the deficient number. Between these two
is the perfect number, which is equal to the sum of its aliquot
parts. Thus, six is six times one, three times two and two
times three ; now one, two and three added together make six.
92. Notice here also that ]\Ioses, represented by the number
seven, cannot thus be divided, as all odd numbers cannot. For
this division is only possible with even numbers. But eighty-
four, which signifies the apostles, is an abundant number and
294 luthkr's church postil.
can be divided eleven times into aliquot parts. Judas, the
traitor, docs not belong to the abundant number, although he
is one of the number. He is omitted here, so that there may
not be twelve. He belongs to the number of the apostles in
name, but not in reality. In the first place, eighty-four is 84
times one; then 42 times 2, 28 times 3, 21 times 4, 14 times 6,
12 times 7, 7 times 12, 6 times 14, 4 times 21, 3 times 28, 2
times 42. If you add together the aliquot parts 1, 2, 3, 4, G, 7
12, 14, 21, 28, 42, the result is 140, 56 more than the number
itself.
93. All this signifies that Moses undivided, or the law, like
the number seven, remained by itself, having not passed be-
yond the Jewish people nor exercised an influence upon other
nations. But the spiritual life and the Gospel preached by the
apostles has spread abundantly over all the world. And as the
number one compared with twelve is very small and trifling,
so that it could hardly look more unimportant, so also the
number seven compared with eighty-four is very insignificant.
For the law with its works confers nothing upon its servants
but temporal possessions and worldly honor, a poor and
wretched possession, which will not increase, but surely de-
crease. On the other hand, one is great and will multiply in-
stead of decreasing; for faith has the blessing of God and
abounds forever with possessions and honor. — We have now
rambled about sufficiently and have seen that no tittle of the
Scriptures was written in vain. The dear fathers of old have
shown us great examples of faith, and with their works have
always pointed to that in which we should believe, namely
Christ and his Gospel. Therefore we read nothing concerning
them in vain, but their whole conduct strengthens and im-
proves our faith. Let us now continue with Anna.
94. Luke says that she departed not from the temple.
What a salutary and necessary exhortation ! We have heard
that by the temple is signified the Holy Scriptures. It was
a special sin of the people that they liked to listen to false
prophets and human doctrines; this they proved by erecting
altars outside of the temple, in high places and valleys. Moses
spoke against this in Deut. 5,32 and 12,32, when he said:
SUNDAY AI^Te:R CHRISTMAS. 295
"What thing soever I command you, that shall ye observe
to do: thou shalt not add thereto, nor dinimish from it." He
desires, as it were, the people to be like Anna, v/ho did not
depart from the temple. They were however not all like
Anna, but turned from the temple to their altars, from the
law of God to their own devices and to false prophets.
95. But this was nothing compared with the state of affairs
at the present time. We have not only been seduced by the
pope and human doctrines to depart from the temple, but we
have also arbitrarily destroyed and desecrated it with all kinds
of profanations and abominations, more than we can express.
But we ought to heed what St. Anthony so diligently taught
his disciples, namely that nobody should do anything that
has not been commanded or advised by God in the Scriptures,
so that we might by all means remain in the temple. Psalm
1,1-2 speaks of this : "Blessed is the man that walketh not
in the counsel of the wicked, nor standeth in the way of sin-
ners, nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers : but his delight is in the
law of Jehovah; and on his law does he meditate day and
night." In 1. Peter 418 we read: "And if the righteous is
scarcely saved, who is in the temple" (Luther's translation).
This means that Satan also tempts those who trust only in the
Word of God; they are scarcely saved. How then will those
secure and reckless people be saved who base their faith upon
the doctrines of men?
96. A holy life can not endure human doctrines, they are
a stumbling-block and a dangerous snare. We must remain
in the temple and never depart from it. This was done by the
saints of old, of whom St. Paul speaks in Rom. 11,4, where
he quotes the answer of God to Elijah : "I have left for my-
self seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to
Baal." David complains of these persecutors and ensnarers
in Psalm 140, 45 : "Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of
the wicked; preserve me from the violent man: who have
purposed to thrust aside my steps. The proud have hid a
snare for me, and cords ; they have spread a net by the way-
side; they have set gins for me." All this is directed against
human doctrines which take us away from the temple. For
296 LUTHER^S CHURCH POSTH..
the Word of God and the doctrines of men cannot agree at
all with each other in the same heart. Yet these senseless
enemies of souls, the Papists with their Antichrist, the pope,
declare that we must teach and observe more than is found
in the Bible. With their ecclesiastical ranks and orders they
lead the whole world to hell.
97. Finally Luke says of Anna that she worshipped with
fastings and supplications night and day. Here we see how
good works follow faith. She must first be Anna, a pro-
phetess, the daughter of Phanueh of the tribe of Asher, a
widow even unto fourscore and four years, not departing from
the temple: then her fasting and praying is right, then the
sacrifice of Abel is acceptable, then God may be served with
fastings and supplications night and day. But whoever starts
with works reverses all things and obtains nothing. Thus,
after St. Paul has taught the Romans faith, he begins in Rom.
12, 1 to teach them many good works, exhorting them to
present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which would be their spiritual service. This is rendered to
God in that the body is mortified by fasting, watching and
labors, which is done by Anna.
98. All the saints of old have done this, for fasting means
all chastisement and discipline of the body. Although the soul
is just and holy by faith, the body is not yet entirely free from
sin and carnal appetites, wherefore it must be subdued and
disciplined and made subject to the soul, as St. Paul says of
himself in 1. Cor. 9, 27: ''But I bufifet my body, and bring it
into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached
to others, I myself should be rejected. We also read in 1
Peter 2, 5 that we should ofifer up spiritual sacrifices, that is
to say not sheep nor calves, as under the law of Moses, but
our own body and ourselves, by the mortification of sin in our
flesh and the discipline of the body. No one can do this who
does not first believe.
99. Therefore I have often said that the works which fol-
low faith should not be done with the intention of meriting
righteousness ; for this must exist before good works can be
done. They must be done with a view to discipline the body
SUNDAY AFTKR CHRISTMAS. 297
and to serve our neighbor. Good works are a true service
of God if they are done freely and vohmtarily, to the honor of
God. Why should he desire us to fast if thereby we did not
suppress our sin and tlesh, which according to his will should
be subdued? But many feast only to please the saints or at
special seasons, not In order to discipline the body. Such fast-
ing however is entirely worthless.
100. But Anna does not fast only on special days, on
Saturdays and Fridays, on apostles' or ember days, nor does
she know anything about a diversity of meats. But Luke
says that she worshipped night and day and thereby served
God, which means that she continually disciplined her body,
not because she desired to do a meritorious work, but in order
to serve God and to subdue sin.
101. St. Paul also speaks of this fasting in 2 Cor. 6,4-5,
when he says among other things, that we should commend
ourselves as ministers of God in fastings. But our foolish
fasting contrived by men only consists in not partaking of meat,
eggs, butter or milk for a few days, not as a service of God
and with the intention to discipline the body and subdue the
flesh; but thereby we only serve the pope, the Papists and
the fishmongers.
102. Anna worshipped night and day, therefore she must
certainly also have watched. But we must not believe that
she prayed and fasted night and day without intermission, for
she was obliged also to eat, drink, sleep and rest. Fasting
and praying were the mode of life she pursued night and day.
Doing something during the day or at night does not mean
that we do it all day and all night.
103. This Is the second part of the service of God, by
which the soul is offered up to him, as the body is by fasting.
And by prayer we do not merely understand oral prayer, but
also the hearing, proclaiming, contemplating and meditating
on the Word of God, Many psalms are prayers, although
they hardly contain a petition ; others teach some lesson or re-
buke sin, and by meditating upon them we converse with
God, with ourselves and with men. Behold, such was the
service rendered to God bv the dear fathers and saints of old,
298 Luther's church postil.
who sought nothing but the honor of God and the salvat-on
of men. Thus we read of a great longing on the part of the
ancient fathers in Scripture and their longing for Christ and
the salvation of the world. This can especially be noticed by
any one in the Psalms.
104. But at the present time people only pray at stated
times, count beads and rattle off their prayers. Nobody thinks
seriously of asking and obtaining something from God, buc
they only perform it as a duty obligatory upon them, and
then are satisfied. As a thrasher who wields his flail they
move their tongue, and only earn bread for the body. Much
less do they trouble themselves by serving God with their pray-
ers and petitioning him to relieve the general need of Christen-
dom, but even the best among them believe they have done
enough when they are pious for themselves and pray only
for themselves. Therefore, hypocrites as they are, they de-
serve nothing but hell with their prayers, for they serv:,' neither
God nor men, but only their own body and advantage. If they
wished to serve God and their neighbor as they ought, they
would not think of the number of prayers and psalms they re-
peat, but with all their hearts would seek the honor of God and
the salvation of men, which would be a true service of God.
Then for one thing they earnestly desire they would often pray
a whole day. This would indeed be praying and worshipping
like Anna. When Luke writes that she worshipped God with
supplications, he condemns the multitude of our foolish pray-
ers, whereby we only increase and multiply our sins, because
we do not serve and seek God. Now let us return again to
our text.
''And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto
Godf and spoke of him to all them that zvere looking for the
redemption of Jerusalem."
105. Our Latin texts read, "for the redemption of Israel,"
but the Greek has: "that were looking for the redemption
of Jerusalem." Anna spoke to those who were in Jerusa-
lem and were waiting for the redemption. For, as she did not
depart from the temple, she could only speak to those who
were in Jerusalem, either to the inhabitants or to visitors. In
SUNDAY AFTKR CHRISTMAS. 299
the spiritual interpretation we have spoken sufficiently of the
meaning of her standing near. For when we come with Christ
into the temple of the Scriptures to present him to God with
thanksgiving, there is found at that very hour also this holy
Anna, with all the saints of the whole synagogue, who unan-
imously look and point at him with their faith and their
whole life.
106. We also notice here the great distinction corferred
upon this holy woman, who was favored more than many great
people when she recognized this poor child as the true Saviour.
There were undoubtedly priests present who received the offer-
ings of Joseph and Mary, but did not know the child and per-
haps considered the words of Simeon and Anna as mere old
wives' talk. She must have been specially illumined by the
Holy Spirit, and a saintly woman in the sight of God, who
enlightened her more than others.
107. Behold, five persons are here brought together: the
infant Christ, his mother Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna.
By this small number of people every station in life is rep-
resented, husband and wife, young and old, virgin and widow,
the married and the unmarried. Here Christ begins to gather
around him people of every honorable station, and will not
be alone. Whoever, then, is not found in one of these states,
is not on the way to salvation.
108. ''She gave thanks unto God." In the Hebrew tongue
different meanings are attached to the word "confess", for
which we need various expressions, as for instance : to [con-
fess (sins), to acknowledge, to give thanks. Thus to give
thanks is in Hebrew expressed by the word ''confess," and
very appropriately so. For to give thanks is nothing but to
kindness of the benefactor and that the gift is not deserved
confess that we have received benefits, to acknowledge the
He who will acknowledge and confess this will also sincere-
ly give thanks. To "confess" means also to admit something.
Thus Christ says in Matthew 10,32-33: "Every one there-
fore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess
before mv Father who is in heaven. But whosoever shall de-
300 i^uther's church postHv.
ny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father
who is in heaven."
109. Now, as it has been said above in explaining the bless-
ing of Siliieon that it is a great and extraordinary virtue to
bless Christ whom all the world rejects, so it is also a remark-
able deed to give thanks to God for Christ. It is done by
those who know him, but there are only a few of them. The
others blaspheme God, condemn, persecute and oppose Christ
and his doctrine. They treat him and God his Father as they
treat his doctrine, acording to his words in Luke 10,16:
"He that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me
rejecteth l)im that sent me." It is a terrible thing that the world
is full of blasphemers and persecutors, and that we must live
among them. St. Paul predicts in 2 Tim. 3, 1-2, that in the
last days there will be m.any railers. This prophecy is now
being fulfilled by the pope and the great schools, the convents
and monasteries that do nothing else but reject, persecute and
condemn the Gospel of Christ.
110. May you therefore consider it a manifestation of the
grace of God in you when you learn to know Christ and give
thanks to God for him, when you do not regard him an ac-
cursed heretic and seducer and do not blaspheme, despise and
forsake God and his teaching, as is done by the great multi-
tude. For Christ does not first of all want his person and
name exalted, which is done by all his enemies, but he requires
that his doctrine be honored, which is the greatest art. He
himself says in Luke 6, 46 : "And why call ye me. Lord, Lord,
and do not the things which I say?" and Mark 8,38: "For
whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this
adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall
be ashamed of him." You perceive here that he cares most
for his doctrine. The pope and the Papists also icall him
Lord, indeed, in his name, to his honor and in his service they
reject his doctrine, slay his Anna and persecute her through-
out the world. It is dreadful and unbearable to see how great
multitudes of people blaspheme God and his Christ, and in
their fanaticism go down to hell.
111. He is a sign which is spoken against, and more stum-
SUNDAY A^TER CHRISTMAS. 801
ble and fall against him at the present time than ever before.
Deo gratias (Thanks be to God !) is a common saying, but there
is scarcely one among a thousand who says it in truth. At
the time of Elijah, which was still a gracious time, there were
left only seven thousand among the Jewish people, who with-
out doubt numbered more than a million ; but how many may
be left in these last times which Daniel calls the times of the
indignation (Dan, 11,36!)? We might indeed ask God with
the words of Psalm 89, 4 : "Lord, where are thy former lov-
ingkindnessess, which thou swarest unto David in thy faithful-
ness?"
112, Anna did not only give thanks unto God but she also
spoke of him to all them that were looking for the redemption
of Jerusalem. Luke has a special reason for adding that Anna
spoke of Christ only to those who were looking for the redemp-
tion. There were certainly not many of them, and none at all
among the highly educated priests. What could these great,
holy and cultured people learn of such an old, foolish woman !
They considered themselves the real leaders of the people.
Thus the words of Anna were undoubtedly despised by these
great gentlemen. For the W^ord of God concerning Christ
must necessarily be contemptible, foolish, heretical, sacrile-
gious and presumptuous to the ears of these great, learned
and spiritual men. Therefore it is only received by the hunger-
ing, longing souls that look for the redemption, as Luke says
here, who feel tlieir sin and desire grace, light and consolation,
who know nothing of any wisdom and righteousness of their
own.
113. Now faith and the knowledge of Christ cannot be
silent. They break forth and testify, so that others may be
helped and receive the light, as we read in Psalm 116, 10: "I
believe, for I will speak." Faith is too kind and bountiful to
keep all such treasures to itself. But when it speaks it is perse-
cuted by all the unbelieving saints ; yet it does not care and
goes right ahead. And who knows how Anna was treated !
But perhaps they spared her on account of her age and sex,
and simply despised her as a silly fool. Otherwise her life
302 luthi:r's church postil.
would hardly have been preserved, because she proclaimed
such error and heresy, declaring of Christ such marvelous
things, in opposition to all the doctrines and systems of the
learned priests and teachers of the law, who are filled with
wisdom and righteousness to such a degree that they do not
need any redemption, but deserve only a crown and reward
for their good works and great merits. For if we speak of the
redemption of Christ we declare that they are bound in sin and
blindness. This however is too much for these great saints, to
be called blind sinners! Therefore they cannot endure hear-
ing anything of Christ and his redemption, and consequently
they condemn it as a dangerous error and a diabolical heresy.
114. We now easily understand how it was that the spir-
itual Anna gives thanks to God and speaks of Christ to all that
are looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. For the dear
saints of the Old Testament knew Christ well. Therefore by
their whole life they praise God and give thanks to him, ex-
emplifying the Bible and proclaiming only this redemption,
how Christ came solely for those who need him and hunger
after him. This is proved by all the narratives of the Old Tes-
tament. For God never assisted those who consider them-
selves strong and not forsaken. On the other hand, he never
forsook those who were needy and desired his help. This
might here be corroborated by all the stories of the Bible, but
it is sufficiently clear and manifest to all who will read them.
115. The Evangelist in writing of these things mentions
especially Jerusalem, for the reason that Jerusalem means a
vision of peace and signifies the hearts that are peacable, not
quarrelsome. St. Paul writes in Romans 2, 8 that the people
who are factious will not obey the truth. Divine truth demands
tranquil hearts that listen attentively and are desirous to learn.
But those who browl and bluster, who are pi^-headed and de-
mand signs and reasons before accepting the truth, will never
find it. They are in the turmoil of Babylon and do not know
the peace of Jerusalem. Therefore they neither look for the
redemption, nor listen to the words of Anna. But we may also
read "Israel" instead of "Jerusalem ;" it does not matter much
which one of these two words is here used.
SUNDAY A^TER CHRISTMAS. 303
III. THE RETURN OF THE PARENTS OF JESUS TO
NAZARETH, AND THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS.
''And zvhcn they had accomplished all things that zvere ac-
cording to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to
their own city Nazareth."
116. The Gospel for the day of Candlemas \vill explain
what the things are which they accomplished according to the
law of the Lord. The significance of Galilee and Nazareth will
be explained in the Gospel for the festival of the Annunciation.
But we must refer here to the words of St. Matthew (2, 13 iT.),
who writes that after the wise men had departed, who found
Christ in Bethlehem and offered unto him gifts, gold and frank-
incense and myrrh, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream
and bade him flee into Egypt with the child and his mother,
and that Joseph did so. How does this agree with the narrative
of Luke, according to whom they returned to Nazareth after
six weeks had passed, and they had accomplished all things
that were according to the law of the Lord? We must here
either assume that they went into Egypt immediately after the
expiration of the six weeks of purification, and then returned
to Nazareth from Egypt in due time, or we must believe, which
is also my opinion, that they returned home, immediately after
the six weeks had elapsed, as Luke relates here. Then the ap-
pearance of the angel who commanded them to flee into Egypt,
whereof Matthew speaks, occurred not in Bethlehem, but at
Nazareth; and indeed it took place after the departure of the
wise men, as Matthew says, but not directly afterward. But
Matthew writes thus because immediately after the departure
of the wise men he records the flight into Egypt, and omits
what Luke relates here of the presentation in the temple. Thus
it is clear that the two Evangelists do not disagree.
117. It is also pointed out here how they were obliged to
take up their cross. After the poor mother had been away
from home for seven or eight weeks on account of the sudden
"birth of her child, and after navmg now returned and settled
down to rest from their travels, they must again leave every-
thing behind and without delay start on a much longer journey.
304 luthkr's church postil.
Thus the Lord Christ begins his journeys in his earUest child-
hood, always wandering on this earth and having no definite
place or abode where he might stay. How differently from
other children is this royal child reared and treated, how did he,
especially in this case, taste the sorrows and troubles of life!
The poor mother must flee with the poor child into Egypt from
the wrath of Herod. We shall speak more of this when this
Gospel is explained.
''And the child grew, and zva.ved strong, üUed zvith wisdom :
and the grace of God was upon him.
118. Some inquisitive people who were not satisfied with
the information given in the Scriptures have desired to know
what Christ did in his childhood, and have received their re-
ward for their curiosity. Some fool or knave has fabricated
a legendary book on the childhood of Christ, and has not been
afraid nor slow to v/rite down his lies and frauds, relating how
Christ went to school and a great deal more of absurd and
blasphemous tomfoolery. Thus he jests with his lies at the
expense of the Lord, w^hom all the angels adore and fear, and
before whom all creatures tremble, so that this rascal would
have deserved that a great millstone had been hanged about
his neck and he had been sunk in the depth of the sea, because
he did not esteem the Lord of all more than to make him an ob-
ject of his absurd buffoonery. Yet people may still be found
who print this book, read and believe it, which, in fact, was
the object of this miscreant. Therefore I say that such books
ought to be burned by the pope, the bishops and the uni-
versities, if they would follow Christ. But they produce books
that are a great deal worse, are blind leaders and remain
such.
119. Christ never went to school, for no schools like ours
existed at that time. He did not even have an elementary edu-
cation, as we read in the Gospel of St. John, 7, 15: the Jews
were marveling, saying: "How knoweth this man letters, hav-
ing never learned ?" We also read in Mark 6, 2-3 that they
v/ere astonished at his wisdom and said : "What is the wisdom
that is given unto this man, and what mean such mighty works
SUNDAY Al^rtR CHRISTMAS. 305
wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of
Mary?" They thought it strange that a layman and the son
of a carpenter should have such great knowledge, having never
studied. Therefore they were offended in him, as the Evan-
gelist relates, and thought that he must be possessed of an evil
spirit.
120. Let us therefore be satisfied with the narrative of the
Gospel, which tells us enough of his childhood. Luke writes
that "the child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom"
etc. Later on he writes that he was subject to his parents.
What else should he have related? The time was not yet come
when he performed miracles. He was brought up like other
children, with the exception, that as some children excel others
in ability, Christ also was an extraordinarily clever child.
Thus no more could be written concerning him than is recorded
by Luke. If he had related how he ate, drank, and what he
did every day, how he walked, stood, slept and watched, what
kind of a narrative would it have been?
121. It is not necessary to believe, neither do I think it is
true, that his coat which was woven from the top throughout,
grew with him in size from his youth. Probably his mother
made it, and in that country it was the common garment of
the poor. We should have a pure faith that accepts nothing
which is not found in the Scriptures. Enough is contained in
the Scriptures that we may believe, especially since Christ did
not begin to perform his miracles and mighty deeds until after
his baptism, as it is written in John 2, 11 and Acts 10, 37.
122. Some hairsplitters are perplexed by the words of Luke
according to which Christ, although he was God, waxed strong,
filled with wisdom. That he grew, they admit, which is indeed
surprising, as they are very swift i'n inventing miracles where
there are none and despise those in which they should believe.
The reason for their perplexity and their anxious questions is
this, that they have invented an article of faith according to
which Christ from the first moment of conception was filled
with wisdom and the spirit to the highest possible degree, just
as if the soul were a wineskin which may be completely filled.
306 i.uthi:r's church postii..
They themselves do not understand what they say, nor whereof
they confidently afiirm, as St. Paul writes in 1 Tim. 1,7.
123. Even if I could not understand what Luke means when
he says that Christ waxed strong, filled with wisdom, I should
yet believe his word because it is the Word of God, and should
honor it as the truth, although I might never find out how it
could be true ; and I should abandon my imaginary article of
faith as human foolishness, which is far too worthless to be a
standard of divine truth. We all must acknowledge that
Christ was not always cheerful, notwithstanding the fact that
he who is filled with the Spirit is also full of joy, since joy is
the fruit of the Spirit, according to Gal. 5, 22. Neither was
Christ always gentle and calm, but sometimes he was indig-
nant and vexed, as for instance when he cast the Jews out of
the temple, John 2, 15-17, and when he was angry and grieved
at the hardening of their hearts, Mark 3, 5.
124. Therefore we must understand the words of Luke
simply as applying to the human nature of Christ, which was
an instrument and temple of the Godhead. And although he
was always filled with the Spirit and with grace, yet the Spirit
did not always move him, but prompted him now to do this,
now something else, just as necessity required. Although the "
Spirit was in him from the first moment of the conception, yet
as his body grew and his reason naturally developed as in
other men, so also was he filled and moved by the Spirit more
and more. It is no delusion when Luke says that he waxed
strong and advanced in wisdom, but the words tell us plainly
in age and in stature, and as he grew in stature his reason
developed, and with the development of his reason he became
stronger in the Spirit and filled with wisdom before God, in
himself and before men, which needs no further explanation.
This is a Christian explanation which can be accepted without
any danger, and it does not matter whether it overthrows any
imaginary articles of faith.
125. St. Paul agrees with this when he says in Phil. 2, 7
that Christ, who existed in the form of God, emptied himself,
taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of
SUNDAY AI^Te:r CHRISTMAS. 307
men, and being found in fashion as a man. St. Paul does not
speak here of the Hkeness of Christ's human nature to our
own, but he says: Christ, the man, after he had taken upon
himself human nature, was made in the likeness of men, and
found in fashion as a man. Now as all men grow naturally in
body, reason, mind and wisdom, which is a universal ex-
perience, Luke agrees with Paul when he says that Christ grew
in the same manner, yet being an extraordinary child that
developed more rapidly than others. For his bodily constitu-
tion was nobler, and the gifts and graces of God were bestowed
upon him more abundantly than upon others. Thus the sense
of Luke's words is easily understood, perspicuous and simple,
if only these wise-acres would leave out their subtleties. — So
much on this Gospel.
§88-93 of this sermon were printed by Aurifaber in the Eis-
leben appendix volumes of the Jena edition in volume I under
the title: "Thoughts of Dr. Martin Luther on what the num-
bers seven, twelve and eighty four mean spiritually, 1522."
This note also appears: "This is found in the Church Postil
under the explanation of the Gospel of Luke 2, the Sunday after
Christmas, on the words: 'Anna was a widow of four and eighty
years;' but it was omitted in the first edition. It is however in-
serted here especially for the purpose that w6 may here see with
what great diligence and earnestness this beloved and blessed
man searched in the Scriptures and the old fathers, and wished to
examJne everything in the most painstaking manner." The Eis-
leben print agrees with the Wittenberg edition.
;08 i.uthe:r's church posth..
NEW YEAR'S DAY.
This sermon appears in the Erl. Ed. 10,319; W. 11,391;
St. L. 11,284.
Text: Luke 2, 21. And when eight days were fidüUcd for
circumcising him, his name zvas called Jesus, zvhich was so
called by the angel before he was conceived in the zvomb.
CONTENTS: THE CIRCUMCISION, AND CHOOSING THE
NAME, AS WAS THE CUSTOM AT CIRCUMCISION.
* A judgment on "Distributinr-- also to the fathers, who liv-
the New Year", as was done ed before Abraham. IG.
from the pulpit. 1. 6. Why the rite was abolished in
I. OF THE CIRCUMCISION. Christ. 17.
1. How to rescue circumcision 7, Whether the rite is so abolish-
from the offense reason ed in the New Testament,
takes at it. , that it is a sin to be circum-
a. The offense reason takes at cised. 18.
circumsion. 2. , * What is" the nature of holy
o^'mi"® rescue. 3-4. , Baptism. 19.
2. The reason for circumcision. jj qp CHOOSING THE NAME AS
a. The first reason, which is ^^S THE CUSTOM AT A
temporal. 5. CIRCUMCISION.
b. The second reason, which is ^ _f^, riu«- + a-^ v,^*- ,.^^^5,./^
soiritual 6-9 ^- ^^^y Christ did not receive
* Of natural depravity. S-9. »^^^ . "^^^^ from the circumci-
3. Why God confined ciicum- ^^^n. zun.
cision only to the male. 10. * How and by what means
4. Why the rite had to be per- Christ became lord over
formed just on the eighth death and the law. 21-23.
day. * How and by what means be-
a. The first reason. 11-13. lievers become lords over
b. The second reason. 14. death, law and sin. 24-26.
c. The third reason. 15. 2. The spiritual meaning of the
5. Why the rite was not given naming of the child. 27.
It is the custom "to distribute the New Year"* from the
pulpit on this day, as if there were not enough other useful and
salutary matter to preach, and it were necessary to present
such useless fables in place of the Word of God, and to make a
sport and disgrace of so serious an office. The Gospel requires
us to preach on the circumcision and the rsame of Jesus ; and
this we will do !
* A ctistom is referred to here which arose in the latter part of
the Middle Ages. On New Year's Day the preacher declared from
the pulpit special New Year's wishes to his hearers with reference
to the different classes among them. The custom introduced many
absurdities and improprieties into the church service. Cf. Hauck,
Realencyclopaedie sub voce Neujahrsfest. — Translator.
ne:w year's day. 309
I. OF THE CIRCUMCISION OF JEBUS.
2. First let us ask the wise woman, Dame Jezebel, natural
reason : Is it not a foolish, ridiculous, useless command, when
God demands circumcision? Could he find no member of the
body but this ? If Abraham had here followed reason, he would
not have believed that it was God who demanded this of him.
For in our eyes it is such a foolish thing that there can scarcely
be anything more absurd. The Jews had to endure great infamy
and disgrace on account of it, were despised by everybody
and treated as an abomination. Moreover, there is no use in
it. What benefit is it, if the body is mutilated ? Man is made
no better by it, for everything depends upon the soul.
8. But such are all of God's commandments and w^orks,
and such they are to be. In our eyes they appear most foolish,
most contemptible, and most useless, in order that haughty
Reason, who deems herself clever and wise, may be put to
shame and blinded, and may surrender her self-conceit and
submit to God, give him honor, and believe that whatever he
appoints, is most useful, most honorable, and most wise, al-
though she does not see it and thinks quite differently. If God
had given a sign which would have been suitable to her and
useful, wise, and honorable in her estimation, she would have
remained in her old skin, would not have surrendered her
haughtiness, would have continued in her custom of seeking
and loving only honor, gain, and wisdom on earth, and so
would have become ever more deeply rooted in worldly, temp-
oral things. But now that he presents to her foolish, useless,
and contemptible things, he tears her away from the seeking
after gain, honor, and wisdom, and teaches her to regard only
the invisible, divine wisdom, honor, and gain, and for its sake
willingly to suffer the lack of temporal honor, gain, and wis-
dom, and to be a fool, poor, unprofitable, and despised for
God's sake. Therefore God was not concerned about the cir-
cumcision, but about the humiliation of proud nature and
reason.
4. So we also have baptism in the New Testament, in order
that we should be buried in the water, and believe that we are
310 LUTHKR's church POSTHv.
thereby cleansed from sins and saved ; also, that Christ's body
is in the bread of the altar ; also, that we worship the crucified
man as Lord and God. All this is immeasurably far above, and
contrary to, reason. So the works and words of God are all
contrary to reason, and this, in turn, is also contrary to God
and recoils at the sign that is spoken against. Before men it
was a very foolish speech, when Noah built the ark and said,
the world would be flooded. So Lot must needs have been a
fool, when he said, Sodom and Gomorrah would perish. Moses
and Aaron were fools before King Pharaoh. In short, God's
Word and his preachers must be fools, as St. Paul says, 1 Cor.
L21. In all this God seeks nothing but this humility, that
man bring his reason into captivity and be subject to divine
truth. Abraham and his seed received the foolish rite of cir-
cumcision, in order that by it they should give glory to God
and suffer him alone to be wise.
5. Now circumcision was an external mark, by which
God's people were known in distinction from other nations ;
just as we see that every prince gives his people and army his
standard and watchword, by which they are known among
themselves and by which foreigners can tell, to what lord they
belong. Thus God has never left his people without such a
sign or watchword, by which it can outwardly be known in the
world where his people are to be found. Jews are known by
circumcision: that was their divine mark. Our mark is bap-
tism and the body of Christ. Therefore the ancient fathers
called these signs, characters, symhola, tesseras, that is, watch-
words or standards, what we now call sacraments, that is, sacred
signs. For where there is baptism, there certainly are Chris-
tians, be they where they will in the world. It matters not If
they are not under the pope, as he claims ; for he would like to
make of himself a sacrament and a Christian watchword.
6. Let this be enough concerning the temporal reason for
circumcision. We will now also look at the spiritual reason and
Its significance. First, why did he not command to circumcise
a finger, hand, foot, ear, or eye, or some other member ? Why
did he select just that which in human life serves for no work
or employment and which was created by God for natural
NEW ye:ar's day. 311
birth and multiplication? If evil was to be cut off, then cer-
tainly the hand or the tongue, of all members, ought to have
been circumcised: for by the tongue and hands all wicked-
ness is perpetrated among men.
7. It is said that it was done for the reason, that evil lust
manifests itself most in this member of the body; wherefore
also Adam and Eve felt the disobedience of their flesh there,
and sought a covering for their nakedness. That is all true;
but in addition to that it also signifies, as we are wont to say,
that God does not condemn or save the person on account of
his works, but his works on account of the person. Accord-
ingly, our fault lies not in our works, but in our nature. The
person, nature, and entire existence are corrupt in us because
of Adam's fall. Therefore no work can be good in us, until
our nature and personal life are changed and renewed. The
tree is not good, therefore its fruits are bad.
8. Thus God has here taught every one, that nobody can
become righteous by works or laws, and that all works and
labors to become righteous and be saved are in vain, as long as
the nature and person are not renewed. You see now that, had
he commanded to circumcise the hand or the tongue, this would
have been a sign that the fault to be changed lay in the words
or works; that he was favorable to the nature and person, and
hated only the words and works. But now, in selecting that
member which has no work except that the nature and personal
existense arise thereby, he gives clearly to understand that
the fault lies in the entire state of the nature, that its birth
and its origin are corrupt and sin. This is original sin, or the
sin of the nature, or the sin of the person, the truly chief sin.
If this did not exist, there would neither be any actual sin.
This sin is not done, like all other sins ; but it exists, lives, and
does all sins, and is the essential sin, that sins not for an hour
or a season ; but wherever and as long as the person exists.
9. God looks at this sin of the nature alone. This can be
eradicated by no law, by no punishment, even if there were a
thousand hells : but the grace of God alone, which makes the
nature pure and new, must purge it away. The law only mani-
o|2 luthkr's church postil.
fests it and teaches how to recognize it, but does not save
from it ; the law restrains only the hand or member, it cannot
restrain the person and nature from being sinful ; for in birth
the nature has already anticipated the law, and has become
sin before the law could forbid it. Just as little as it lies in one's
human power to be born and to receive natural existence, so
little does it lie in liis power to be without sin or to escape from
it. He who has created us, he alone must take it away. There-
fore he first gives the law, by which man recognizes this sin
and thirsts for grace : then he also gives the Gospel and saves
him.
10. In the second place, why does he command to circum-
cise males only, when nature and birth involve the woman
also? The prophet also complains more of the mother than
of the father, when he says, P5. 51, 5 : ''Behold, I was brought
forth in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother conceive me." It
was surely done on account of Christ and his mother, because
he was to come, and because it was possible that a natural man
and person could be born of a woman without sin and natural
intercourse. But in all conception from a man, the man sins
as Vv^ell as the womnn, and sin on either side cannot be avoided.
Therefore Christ willed not to be conceived of a man, in order
that his mother also might not be under the necessity of sinning-
and of conceiving him in sin. Therefore he made use of her
womanly flesh and body for natural birth, but not for natural
conception, and was conceived and born a true man without
sin. Since, therefore, it is possible that a pure, innocent birth,
nature, and person may be derived from a woman ; but from a
man only a sinful birth, nature, and person ; therefore circum-
cision was imposed upon males only, in order to signify that
all birth from man is sinful and condemned, requiring circum-
cision and change : but that a birth derived only from a woman
without a man, is innocent and uncondemned, requiring no
circumcision or change. And here one may apply what John
writes, in John 1, 12-13: "To them gave he the right to be-
come children of God, even to them that believe on his name :
who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, but of God" — with the understanding that
N^w Year's day. 813
''the will of man" refers to birth from man. If it were pos-
sible now that more women could bear without men, these
births would be altogether pure and holy ; but this has been re-
served for this one mother alone.
11. In the tliird place, why was it necessary to perform it
on the eighth day? Here again the sin of nature is indicated.
For the poor babe has no actual sin of its own; nevertheless
it must be circumcised and assume the sign of purification from
sin. If he had commanded to circumcise after eight years,
one might say it was done for sins committed and for the
avoidance of future sins. But by commanding to circumcise
on the eighth day he excludes both ideas, that it is done for
sins committed and for the sake of future sins ; without doubt,
because a greater than any actual sin is born and ingrained
in human nature.
12. But here it might be objected that Abraham and his
servants and household were circumcised wdien they were
grown and old. Gen. 17, 23: therefore circumcision might
signify actual committed sins. The answer is : Scripture an-
ticipates and abolishes the idea that Abraham was justified by
circumcision, for he was already justified of his sins when he
received circumcision ; for it is written in Gen. 15, 6 that he
was made righteous by his faith before his circumcision, when
he was eighty years old or a little more, and circumcision he re-
ceived when he was ninety-nine years old ; so that circumcision
was instituted almost twenty years after his justification. From
this St. Paul, in Rom. 4, 11, concludes, against the Jews, that
not circumcision, but faith without circumcision justifies, as
Abraham's example cogently shows. Therefore circumcision
is not a putting off of sin, but a sign of such putting off, which
is accomplished by faith alone, as was the case with Abraham.
Therefore it demands, as in Abraham so in all men, faith,
which removes the sin of nature and makes the person right-
eous and accepted.
13. If now Abraham's faith had not been described before
his circumcision, it would have been a certain sign of original
sin in him, as it is in the case of children, whose faith is not
described beforehand. The Scriptures have ordered it so. that
r514 I.UTHE:r's church POSTHv.
Abraham first believed and afterwards was circumcised, and
others were first circumcised and afterwards beheved, in order
that both truths might stand : first, that circumcision is only
a sign of justification and nobody is justified by it; secondly,
that faith justifies alone without the cooperation of circumci-
sion, and therefore faith and its sign are clearly distinguished,
to the discomfiture of the righteousness that trusts in works.
14. Perhaps the eighth day was also appointed for bodily
reasons, in order that the babe might first grow stronger, lest
it might appear that it had died from the circumcision, if it
were circumcised directly after birth and had died from weak-
ness.
15. But the spiritual significance is of greater importance.
Seven days signify the time of this world until the last day, be-
cause this present time is measured by the week or seven days
described in Genesis 1. The eighth day is the last day after
the present time, when weeks, months, and years will cease,
and there will be only an eternal day. On that day circumci-
sion shall be fulfilled, when not only the soul, but also the body,
shall be redeemed from sin, death and all impurity, and shall
shine as the sun. Meanwhile the soul is circumcised from sin
and an evil conscience by faith.
16. So we see that the Scriptures in all places urge to faith,
but only to faith in Christ. Therefore circumcision was not
given by the law of IMoses, nor to the fathers before Abraham,
but to Abraham, to whom Christ, his seed, was promised for a
blessing, so that the bodily circumcision might everywhere be
in accord with the spiritual circumcision.
17. Why then has it ceased, if that same faith in Christ,
to which it points, still remains? The answer is, God has al-
ways, from the beginning of the world to the end, maintained
one faith in Christ; but he has not given only one sign of it.
If all the signs which refer to faith remained, who could keep
them? But since faith is inward and invisible, God has fore-
shadowed it to men by many external signs, in order that they
might be incited to believe as by many examples, and has per-
mitted each to continue for its time. How many signs did
INToses alone do in Egypt and in the wilderness, which have
NEW year's day. 315
all passed away and lasted during their time, and still were
all signs of faith? So when God promised to Abraham the
blessings in his seed and gave to him a sign of it, namely cir-
cumcision, it could not exist by virtue of that promise longer
than the fulfilment of the promise. But when Christ, the
blessed seed, came, the promise was finished and fulfilled ; it
was no longer to be expected. Therefore the sign also neces-
sarily was finished and fulfilled; why should it continue any
longer, when the promise on which it depended was finished?
But that which it signified, faith, remains always, whether the
promise with its sign passes away or remains.
18. Yet circumcision has not been abolished in such a way
that it is sin to be circumcised, as St. Jerome and many others
contend; but it has become free. If anybody wishes, he may
circumcise himself, or not circumcise himself, as long as he
does not act from the opinion, that it is necessary and com-
manded, or that the promise of God to Abraham is unfulfilled
and still to be expected. For faith can endure none of these
opinions. Therefore it does not depend upon the work, but
upon the imagination and opinion of the one doing the work.
If anybody circumcise himself with the same opinion with
which he cuts his hair, beard, or skin, in love and service
to another, he would not commit sin ; for he would do it bound
not by the law and by necessity of justification, nor against
the fulfilled promise of God, but from free volition and his
own choice, because the promise is fulfilled and the sign at-
tached to it is finished.
19. Moreover, God never has had the custom of establish-
ing a sign again, when once it has come to an end, but he has
always instituted other new signs. So after the fulfilment of
his promise, after the coming of Christ, he instituted for Abra-
ham's seed another new sign, namely, baptism. This indeed
is the last sign to be instituted before the last day, because he
instituted it in person. Nevertheless the same faith in Christ,
which was in Abraham, abides always; for it knows neither
day nor night, nor any outward transformation. This baptism
has the same significance as circumcision, as is to be shown
at the proper time.
:\\C) luther's church posTit.
IL THE NAMING OF JESUS, AS WAS THE CUSTOM
AT CIRCUMCISION.
20. Finally, It was the custom to give the child its name
in circumcision, as we see here and in the instance of John
the Baptist, to whom his name was also given in his circum-
cision. However, just as Christ was not obliged to be circum-
cised and this sign was empty in this case, so also his name had
been given to him before by the angel, so that he did not obtain
it by circumcision. This was done and is written, to the end
that he should be altogether free from the law and from sin
above all other men, and only serve us by submitting to the law
and becoming like unto us in order to redeem us from it, as St.
Paul said in the last Epistle: ''He was born under the law,
that he might redeem them that were under the law," Gal.
4, 4-5.
21. For when death fell upon him and slew him, and yet
had no right or cause against him, and he willingly and inno-
cently submitted and suffered himself to be slain: death be-
came liable to him, did him wrong and sinned against him,
and completely exposed itself, so that Christ has an honest
claim upon it. Now the wrong which death became guilty of
toward hiiii, is so great that death can never pay nor atone
for it. Therefore it must be subject to Christ and in his
power forever: and so death is overcome and killed in Christ.
Now Christ did not do this for himself, but for us, and has
bestowed upon us this victory over death in baptism. There-
fore all who believe in Christ must also be lords over death,
and death must be their subject, nay, their criminal, whom
they are to j udge and execute ; even as they do when they
die and at the last day. For by the gift of Christ death has
also become guilty to all those, who have received this gift
from Christ. Behold, this is the sweet and joyous redemp-
tion from death through Christ; these are the spiritual vic-
tories of Joshua over the heathen of Canaan, notably the five
kings, upon whose necks the princes of Israel put their feet by
his command, Josh. 10,
22. So also circumcision did Christ wrong, for he was not
ne:w ye:ar's day. 317
subject to It. Therefore it is justly subject to him and he has
power over it, has conquered it, and has granted to us, that
it must cease and has lost its right over those who believe in
Christ. He has released us from circumcision only by sub-
mitting to it innocently and by bestowing his right against it
upon us.
23. Behold, this is putting Christ under the law, in order
that he might redeem those who were under it. Gal. 4, 5.
Moreover, he has subjected himself to all other laws, to none
of which he was bound, being Lord and God over all. There-
fore they have all fallen into his power, have done him wrong,
and must novv^ justly be subject to him.
24. Now all this he has also given to us. Therefore if
we believe in Christ, and the law would endeavor to punish
us as sinners, and death would insist upon it, and try to drive
the wTetched conscience to hell ; and if you then hold up to
them in turn their sin and wrong, which they have done to
Christ, your Lord : do you not suppose that they also shall be
put to shame and be more afraid of you than you of them?
Death shall feel its guilt and flee in disgrace ; the law shall be
compelled to give up its terror and smile friendly upon Christ.
In this way sin must be banished by sin. The sins, which they
have committed against Christ and now also against you on
account of your faith, are greater than those which you have
committed against them. In this case God, the just Judge,
will not suffer that a great thief should hang a little one; on
the contrary, if the great one is to be free, much more must
the little one go free. Of this St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 15, 55-57 :
*'0 death, where is thy sting? The sting of death Is sin; but
thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ; for death is swallowed up in victory." Behold,
is not this a precious redemption from the law through him,
who innocently subjected himself to the law?
25. Praise God, v^'hat an exceedingly rich and mighty thing
faith is ! It indeed makes of man a god, to whom nothing is
Impossible, as Christ says, Mark 9,23: "If thou canst! All
tl.lngs are possible to him that belleveth." Therefore it is also
318 luthkr's church postil.
said in Psalm 82, 6 : "Ye are gods, and all of you sons of
the Most High."
26. His name is rightly called on this day Jesus, that is
interpreted, Saviour: for Saviour we call one who saves, re-
deems, brings salvation and is of help to everybody; this
one the Hebrew language calls Jesus. So the angel Gabriel
spoke to Joseph in sleep. Math. 1,21: 'She shall bring forth
a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for it is he that
shall save his people from their sins." Here the angel himself
explains why he is called Saviour, Jesus, namely, because he
is help and salvation to his people. \Ye have now heard how
this comes to pass through faith, to which he gives all his
right and possession, that he has over sin, death, and the law.
He makes it righteous, free and blessed.
27. Now as circumcision signifies our faith, as we have
heard: so the naming of children signifies that by faith we
have a name and are known before God. For God knows
none of those who do not believe, as is said in Psalm 1,6:
''For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way
of the wicked shall perish." And in Math. 25,12: "Verily,
I say unto you, I know you not." What then is our name?
Doubtless as Christ gives us ail that is his, so he also gives his
name to us; therefore we are all called Christian from him,
all God' children from him, all Jesuses from him, all Saviour
from him, and whatever is his name, that also is ours ; as St.
Paul writes, Rom. 8, 24 : "In hope were ye saved," for ye
are Jesuses or Saviours. Behold, there is therefore no measure
to the dignity and honor of a Christian ! These are the super-
abundant riches of his goodness, which he pours out upon us,
so that our heart may be free, joyous, peaceable, and un-
terrified; and willingly and cheerfully keep the law. Amen.
EPIPHANY. 319
EPIPHANY.
This sermon is found in the Erlangen Edition, 10,331; Walch
Edition, 11,404; St. Louis Edition, 11,297.
A part of this sermon appeared in two editions of a pamphlet
under the title: The Difference Between True And False Wor-
ship, Dr. Martin Luther, 1522, and 1646.
Another part of this sermon appeared under the title: "An
Exposition And Explanation Of The Papacy In Its Own Colors,"
by Dr. Martin Luther, 1522.
Text: Math, 2, 1-12, Nozv zvhcn Jesus zvas horn in Bethle-
hem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, zvise-inen
front the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is
born King of the Jezusf for zve sazv his star in the east, and are
come to zvorship him. And zuhen Herod the king heard it,
he zvas troubled, and all Jerusalem zvith him. And gathering
together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he in-
quired of them zühere the Christ should be born. And they
said unto him. In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is zvritten
through the prophets,
And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Art in no zvise least among the princes of Judah :
for out of thee shall come forth a governor.
Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel.
Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of
them exactly zvhat time the star appeared. A]id he sent them
to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning
the young child; and zi'hen ye have found him, bring me
zvord, that I also may come and zvorship him. And they, hav-
ing heard the king, zvent their zvay; and lo, the star, zvhicJi
they sazv in the east, zvent before them, till it came and stood
over where the young child zvas. And zvhen they sazv the
star, they rejoiced zvith exceeding great joy. And they came
into the house and sazv the young child zvith Mary his mother;
and they fell dozvn and zvorshipped him; and opening their'
treasurers they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense
320
Luther's church posth.
and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they
should not return to Herod, they departed into their own
country another way.
THE STORY OF THIS GOSPEL AND ITS SPIRITUAL IN-
TERPRETATION.
I. the treatise of the
STORY OF THIS GOSPEL.
* How this Gospel is com-
forting as well as terrify-
ing-. 1.
I. The First Part Of The Story
Is The Coming- Of The Wise
Men To Jerusalem. 2-33.
A. The time they came. 2-3.
B. The persons who arrived at
Jerusalem.
1. How many persons there
were. 4.
2. Where these persons came
from. 4-5.
3. Why these persons are call-
ed Magi. 6ff.
* Concerning natural magic.
a. The nature of natural ma-
gic. 7.
b. How Solomon and Jacob
were well versed in this
art. 8.
c. That this art is a fine, hon-
orable, and perfectly natur-
al art. 9.
d. How this art has been cor-
rurted. 10.
4. That these persons were not
kings but learned and ex-
perienced people. 11-13.
* Concerning natural magic.
13.
C. Opinion concerning diverse
questions, which are asked
about this visit. 14-15.
D. How the Jewish people have
been put to shame by this
visit. 16.
* Concerning those versed in
the study of nature and
natural art, especially con-
cerning the philosophy of
Aristotlp.
1. That natural art is, in part
at least, known to every-
one. 17.
2. The origin of natural art.
18-19ff.
3. Concerning the misuse of
natural art. lS-19ff.
4. The folly and pernicious-
ness of Aristotle's philoso-
phy. 20-23.
5. Exhortation t-^ forsake the
natural art. 24.
E, The occasion and cause of
this visit.
1. Hov/ this part is to bo res-
cued from misuse.
a. The misuse. 2r<.
b. The rescue. 26-?9.
2. The nature of this part.
30-33.
II. The Second Part Of The Story
In Which We Are Told Of
Herod's Attitude To The
Visit Of The Wise Men. 34-
83.
A. How Herod as well as entire
Jerusalem were struck with
fear at the arrival of the
wise men.
1. Why Herod and entire Jeru-
salem were struck with
fear. 34.
2. Whether each and every ci-
tizen of Jerusalem, none ex-
cepted, were terrified. 35.
B. How Herod assembles the
liigh priests and scribes.
1. How this teaches that we
are to cling to the Script-
ures and are not to follow
our self-conceit, nor human
teachings. 36-62.
* Concerning the diverse ways
in wliich the Papists lead
the people away from the
Scriptures.
a. The first way.
1. The nature of this way.
37.
2. Opinion concerning this
way. 38- 3 9.
b. The second way.
1. Its nature. 40.
2. Opinion concerning this
way. 40-41.
3. With what the Papists try
to defend this way, and
what we are to answer
them. 42-44.
c. The third way.
1. Its nature. 45.
2. Opinion concerning this
way. 46-50.
d. The fourth way. 51.
e. The fifth way. 52.ff.
* Concerning tlie three points
which must be observed by
the appearance of ghosts.
a. The first noint. 53-54.
b. The second point. 54-55.
c. The third point, 56-57.
* What we are to think of
purgatory. 58.
* How and why our faith is to
be grounded upon God's
Word. Again, concerning
the eight ways in which thfe
world usually'' searches into
hidden things. 59_61.
2. How this teaches that the
Scriptures and Christ have
EPIPHANY.
321
three kinds of disciples. 62-
67.
a. The first class of these dis-
ciples. 63-65-.
b. The second class of tliese
disciples. 66.
c. The third class of these dis-
ciples. 67.
* Concerning Micah 5, 2.
1. How the scruples, which
are caused by this verse, are
to be removed.
a. The first scruple and its
solution. 68-69.
b. The second scruple and its
solution. 70.
c. The third scruple and ita
solution. 71.'
d. The fourth scruple and its
solution. 72.
2. How Christ's divinity can
be proved from this verse.
73-76.
3. How Christ's humanity can
be seen from this verse. 77.
4. How we can see from this
verse that Christ had to
suffer, die, and rise from the
dead. 78.
5. How we can see from this
verse that Christ's kingdom
shall be enlarged through
preaching and suffering. 79.
C. How Herod secretly calls thfe
wise men and speaks with
them.
1. How we can see from this
that the wise men must
have been of inferior rank
than Herod. 80.
2. The nature of this. 81-82.
3. How this is to serve the be-
lievers as a consolation. 83.
ni. The Third Part Of This
Story, How The Wise Men
Continue Their Journey,
Find Christ, And Adore
Him.
A. How the wise men continuft
their journey. 84-91.
1. How this continuation oc-
curred, after the wise men
had heard Herod.
a. What the purpose of this
is. 84-87.
b. Why Herod's name is not
mentioned here. 88.
2. How the wise men in this
continuation of their jour-
ney are guided by the star.
a. Whether this star was
high in the heavens, or only
hung in the air. 89.
b. What is to be said con-
cerning the course of this
star. 89-90.
c. Why the star appeared
again to the wise men,
when they knew where
Christ was to be born. 91.
B. How the wise men find
Christ- 92-101.
1. How the wise men experi-
ence many diffculties before
they find him.
a. The nature of these difil-
culties. 03-95.
* Difference between nature
and grace, 96.
b. How God strengthens the
wise men in their difficul-
ties. 97.
* After the trials God be-
comes very precious to man.
98.
c. How we can know that the
wise men must have been
in great trials and difficul-
ties. 99.
2. How and why the wise men
are not offended, although
they find Christ in a very
miserable condition. 100.
* The nature of faith. 101.
C. How the wise men adore
Christ. 102.
* Whether tlie wise men were
able to talk with Mary and
Joseph. 103.
IV. The Fourth Part Of This
Story, How The Wise Men,
According To God's Com-
mand, Return Into Their
Country.
1. How we can learn from this
return that God provides for
his own. 104-105.
* Concerning faith, the Word,
and the temptation with
which man tempts God.
a. What attitude man is to
take in his faith that he
may not tempt God. 106ff.
b. Wliere there is the Word
of God, we are to believe,
but where there is no Word
of God, we are not to be-
lieve. 107-108.
c. The temptation with whicli
God is tempted is twofold.
108-109.
d. How we can tell true faitli.
110.
e. What it means to tempt
God. 111.
2, Why God prevents the wise
men from coming to Herod
again on their return, when
tlirough his omnipotence, he
could have preserved Christ.
112-114.
IL THE SPIRITUAL, INTER-
PRETATION OF THIS GOS-
PEL.
I. The Spiritual Meaning Of
The Birth Of Christ. 113.
IL The Spiritual Meaning Of
Herod's Rule.
1. In respect to the Jewish
church. 114-118.
2. In respect to the Christian
church under the Papacy.
119-122.
III. The Spiritual Meaning Of
The Star.
322
luthkr's church postil.
1. Of the star itself. 123.
2. Of the rise of this star. 124ff.
• What are we to think of the
books that are written in
the New Testament con-
cerning Christian doctrine.
124-127.
3. Of those who saw this star,
and those who did not see
it. 128-129.
IV. The Spiritual Meaning Of
The Wise Men.
1. In view of the fact that they
are called wise men. 130-
131.
2. In view of their arrival at
Jerusalem and their ques-
tioning concerning Christ.
132ff.
V. The Spiritual Meaning Of
The Things Touched Upon
By Herod.
1. The spiritual nieaning of
the fact that Herod rules
in Jerusalem. 132-133.
2. The spiritual meaning of the
fact that Herod is struck
with fear at the arrival of
the wise men. 134-136.
• The Gospel ought, for the
sake of men, neither be con-
fessed nor denied. 137.
3. The spiritual meaning of tlie
fact that Herod convenes
the priests and scribes and
inquires after Christ. 138-
140.
4. The spiritual meaning of the
fact that Herod takes the
Scriptures in a sense differ-
ent from that of the wise
men. 141-142ff.
• Concerning the abomina
tions and sinful life of the
clergy in the Papacy.
A. In general. 143-145.
B. In particular.
a. They are lovers of self and
think much of themselves.
146-147.
b. They are boastful. 148-149.
c. They are haughty. 150-152.
d. They are lovers of money.
153-154.
e. They are railers. 155-156.
f. They are disobedient to pa-
rents. 157-158.
• Whether parents have the
power to liberate their
children from monastic life,
if they have been forced in-
to it. 158-161.
• Whether parents have the
power to separate marriage
contracted without their
consent. 162-167.
g. They are unthankful. 168.
h. They are unholy. 169-171.
i. They are without natural
affection. 172-173.
k. They are obstinate. 174-176.
1. They are slanderers and
baok-biters. 177-185.
m. They are unchaste. 186.
n. They are fierce. 187.
o. They are no lovers of good.
188-192.
p. They are traitors.
1. In a spiritual way. 193.
2. In a bodily way. 194-195.
q. They are headstrong. 196-
197.
r. They are puffed up. 198.
s. They are blind. 200-201.
t. They are lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God,
202-203.
u. They hold a form of godli-
ness, but are denied the
power thereof. 204-206.
X. They creep into houses and
take captive silly women.
207-212.
* What impelled Luther to
attack the clergy so angri-
ly. 212.
y. They withstand the truth.
213-214.
z. They are corrupted in mind
and reprobate concerning
the faith. 215-216.
5. The spiritual meaning of the
fact that Herod secretly
calls tlie wise men and in-
quires about the appearance
of the star. 217ff.
* How the Papists pervert the
Gospel.
A. In particular.
a. In regord to the doctrine
of faith. 218.
b. In regard to the doctrine of
Christ, the Saviour. 219.
c. In regard to the doctrine of
the law. 220-221.
d. In regard to the doctrine
of grace. 222.
e. In regard to the doctrine
of original sin. 223.
f. In regard to the doctrine
of love. 224.
g. In regard to the doctrine
of hope. 225.
h. In regard to the doctrine
of the providence of God.
226.
B. In general. 227.
6. The spiritual meaning of the
fact that Herod sends the
wise men to Bethlehem and
commands to inquire after
the child. 228-229.
7. The spiritual or secret mean-
ing of the fact that Herod
says, he will come and adore
the child. 230-231ff.
* Concerning the true wor-
ship.
a. That the true worship can
be known only from the
Word of God. 232.
b. The parts of true w^orship,
according to all ten com-
inandments:
1. According to the first
commandment. 233.
2. According to the second
commandment. 234.
EPIPHANY.
323
3. According" to the third
commandment. 235.
4. According' to the fourth
commandment. 236.
5. According to the fifth
commandment. 237.
6. According to tlie sixth
commandment. 238.
7. According to the seventh
commandment. 239.
8. According to the eighth
commandment. 240.
9. According to the ninth
and tenth commandments.
241.
c. That true worship is com-
mon to all stations and all
men. 242.
* Concerning the false wor-
ship in the Papacy.
a. The nature of this false
worship. 243.
b. That this false worship de-
stroys the true worship. 244.
c. Objection which is made in
connection with this false
worship and its answer. 245-
246.
d. That this false worship is
dead and useless. 247.
e. How this false worship
glitters very much and de-
ceives many people. 248-249.
8. The spiritual significance of
the false and treacherous
heart of Herod that he in-
tends to kill the children.
250-252.
* Concerning the vows of the
clergy in the Papacy.
A. In general. 253-273.
- a. Whether the clergy in the
Papacy is able to keep its
vows with a good consci-
ence. 253.
b. Whether the clergy in the
Papacy is bound to keep its
vows. 254-257.
C. That the vows of the cler-
gy in the Papacy are con-
trary to the first command-
ment. 258-261.
d. That the vows of the cler-
gy in the Papacy destroy
Christ and his merit. 262.
e. That these vows are ten
times worse than open sins.
263.
f. That these vows are very
dreadful and cruel. 264-265.
g. Whether these vows can be
broken when necessary. 266-
270."
h. That these vows are ridicu-
lous, foolish, and pernicious.
271.
i. In what manner these vows
have had their origin. 272-
273.
B. In particular.
a. Of the vow of chastity.
1. If it is possible to keep
this vow. 274-277.
2. By what means the Papists
seek to confirm this vow,
and what we are to reply to
them. 278-284.
b. Of changeable and un-
changeable vows.
1. The nature of these vows.
285.
2. The foundation of the dif-
ference of the alterable and
unalterable vows. 286.
3. What is to be thought of
these kinds of vows. 287-293.
c. Of the vow of poverty.
1. What we are to hold as to
this vow. 294-295.
2. How the Papists them-
selves annihilate their doc-
trine of this vow by their
own examples. 2 96.
3. The abolishing of the rea-
sons which the Papists
teach when any of them
neglect this vow. 297-300.
d. Of the vow of obedience.
301-302 .
e. That the Papists make so
much of the vow of chasti-
ty is a work of Satan. 303.
* Of the spiritual state and
character of the Papists,
and of the mass.
a. Nothing there is certain
and fundamental, yea, before
God it is all condemned and
cursed. 304.
b. What we are to answer the
Papists when they wish to
confirm their spiritual life
by the examples of the
saints. 305-306.
c. How the ministerial office
was first made a real curse
by means of the mass. 307.
d. Luther's defense of his
teaching concerning the
ministerial office and life.
308-309.
* A judgment on the vow of
chastity. 310-312.
VI. The Hidden Spiritual Mean-
ing Of The Star Going Be-
Again To The Wise Men
And Of Them Rejoicing In
It. 313-314.
VII. The Secret Spiritual Mean-
ing Of The Star Going Be-
fore The Wise Men And
Standing Over The Place
Where The Child Was. 315ff.
* What reply we are to make
to the Papists, when they
say faith and the Christian
church are to be sought
among them. 817-31S.
VIII. The Hidden Meaning Of
The House In Which Christ
Was Found By The Wise
Men. 319-320.
IX. The Spiritual Meaning Of
The Offerings Brought By
The Wise Men.
A, The spiritual significance of
offerings in general. 321-323.
B. The spiritual significance of
these offerings in particular,
1. Of the gold. 324-325.
324 luthkr's church postil.
2 Of the frankincense. 326-328. ble results of horror and
3 Of the myrrh. 329-330. misery. 333-336. _ , _, .
* Of ih^ nffPrVn^s the wise X. The Hidden Meaning In That
£or. >.rnnth^^ The Wise Men Did Not Dare
men brought. , . . ., To Return To Herod Again.
a. Of the order, m which the 33^^^
Evangelist relates these of- * q^ human doctrines,
ferings. 331. 1, T^e harmful fruits of the
b. Why Isaiah in mentioning doctrines of men. 338-339.
these offerings omits myrrh. 2. The way to avoid human
332. doctrines.
c How the Papists separated a. The first way. 340-341.
such offerings and annihil- b. The second way. 342.
ated them with inexpressi- c. The third way. 343-344.
1. This Gospel harmonizes with the Epistle and speaks of
the temporal coming of the heathen to Christ, by which their
spiritual coming to Christ, mentioned in the Epistle, is signi-
fied and commenced. It is both a terrifying and consoling
Gospel : terrifying to the great and wise, the self-satisfied and
the mighty, because they all reject Christ; consoling to the
humble and despised, because to them alone Christ is re-
vealed.
I. THE HISTORY OR LESSON STORY.
2. The Evangelist first refers to Herod the king, in order
to recall the prophecy of Jacob the patriarch, who said : "The
scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's stafif from
between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the
obedience of the peoples be." Gen. 4, 9-10. From this prophecy
is evident that Christ must come, when the kingdom or govern-
ment of the Jews is taken from them, so that no other king or
ruler from the house of Judah might sit on the throne. This
Vv-as fulfilled now when Herod, who was not of the house of
Judah, nor of Jewish descent but of Edom, hence a foreigner,
was made king over the Jews by the Romans to the great
dissatisfaction of the Jewish people. Hence for thirty years
he warred with them before he finally silenced and subdued
them.
§143-216 inclusive are found only in the editions a. to e., also
in the Wittenberg complete edition.
KPIPHANY. o2.)
3. Now when this foreigner had ruled over the Jews for
thirty years, had taken possession of the government, and the
Jews had acquiesced therein having no hopes of getting rid of
him and thus the prophecy of Jacob was fulfilled, then the
time was at hand, then Christ came and was born under this
first stranger and appeared according to the prophecy; as
though he would say: The scepter has now departed from
Judah, a stranger is ruling over my people ; it is now time that
I should appear and become king; the government now be-
longs to me.
4. These wise men are usually called the three Kings.
As not much depends on this, we will grant this opinion to
the simple minded people. However, it is not known whether
there were two, three or more. But they certainly came from
the rich country Arabia or Sheba, which is evident from
their gifts viz. gold, frankincense and myrrh. All three of
these are very precious in that country. It can certainly not
be assumed that they had bought these elsewhere, for it is
icustomary in these Eastern countries to do homage and make
presents of the choice fruits and wealth of the country. Just
like Jacob commanded his sons to carry presents of the choice
fruits of the land to Joseph in Egypt. Gen. 43, 11. Had these
gifts of the wise men not been of their own country, why
should they then have brought frankincense, myrrh and gold
produced in the land of Judea, instead of silver and precious
stones or fruits of some other country?
5. Therefore these gifts were not presented to Christ like
artists paint the scenery that one offers gold, another frankin-
cense and the third myrrh, but they presented the gifts in
common as one man. And probably there were quite a number
present, a few of them being the leaders, just as now a prince
or a city sends a few brave men as messengers to the emperor
with presents.
6. The Evangelist calls these men wise men which means
in German Weissager, i. e. (predictors, diviners) ; not in the
same manner as the prophets predicted, but like those whom
we call wise men and wise women, who can tell people all
326 luthkr's church posTit.
kinds of things; who know a great deal about the secret arts
and follow adventures. The art of such people is called
magic, which is sometimes accomplished by the black arts
and the help of the devil, but not in all things as by the witches
and sorcerers. For the wise men imitate the true prophets
and prophesy like the true prophets, though not by the spirit
of God. For this reason they sometimes happen to be correct
as their work is not, like that of the witches, altogether the
devil's work, but rather human reason aided by the devil.
7. Again, their miraculous deeds are not altogether done
by the devil's cunning, like the doings of the witches, but by
a combination of natural forces and the power of the devil.
Hence a magician always imitates the real natural arts. For
there are many hidden forces in nature, and he who knows
how to apply them performes miracles in the eyes of those
who know no better as, for instance, the alchemists make gold
out of copper.
8. Of these secret forces of nature Solomon knew a great
deal by the spirit of God, and made good use of this knowledge
when he judged between the two women concerning the liv-
ing and the dead child, 1 Kings 3, 25, discovering the real
mother by appealing to the deepest feelings of nature. Again,
Jacob also made use of this art when he used the peeled rods
and the flocks brought forth speckled and spotted lambs. Gen.
30, 39.
9. This is a fine and a truly natural art by which is derived
all that physicians and others know about the properties of
herbs, plants, metals, stones etc. The Scriptures also recognize
this art when they make comparisons of animals, stones, trees,
plants etc. This art was especially practiced and studied
among the Persians, Arabians and In other Eastern countriefei,
was an honorable art and made wise people.
10. But later on swine and block-heads meddled with it,
as usually happens with all arts and doctrines, and have gone
far from the truth, have confounded this noble art with jugg-
ling and sorcery, and have tried to follow and master both.
But when they could not do this, they relinquished the real
art and became jugglers and conjurers, prophesying and do-
i:ririiANY. 327
ing miracles by the help of the devil, though sometimes through
the forces of nature. For the devil has retained much of this
art and at times uses it through the magicians. Thus the word
magic has become disreputable, meaning nothing else now
than foretelling and doing miraculous deeds through the evil
spirit, though at times It is reliable and helps men because
natural forces, which are always reliable, are coupled with It,
and used by evil spirit.
11. Hence these magi or wise nien were not kings, but
men learned and experienced in this natural art though with-
out doubt they also practiced con jury. Even to this day men
from these eastern countries are possessed of great and various
magic powers and. when this real art ceased, being despised,
they brought forth sorcery and spread It throughout the world,
but prior to this they relied entirely on the course of the
heavenly bodies. Thus presumptuous lumian reason has always
mixed and disgraced that which w^as good by imitation and
Indiscretion, attempting to ape evervthing that It sees and
hears. Hence false prophets Imitate the true prophets, false
work-righteous saints the true saints, and the falsly learned
the truly learned. If we look at the world we will find, that
the work of human reason Is but aping to imitate the good,
only perverts It and thus deceives Itself and others.
12. These wise men, therefore, were nothing else than what
the philosophers were in Greece and the priests in Egypt, and
the learned among us in the universlteis. In short, they were
the priests and learned In the rich country of Arabia ; just as
If learned men are priests from the universities were now sent
to a prince with presents. For the universities also claim that
they teach natural arts which they call philosophy while in
reality they are teaching not only tomfoolery, but also poison-
ous error and idle dreams.
13. For the natural art, which was formerly called magic
but now physlologv;, is to learn the forces and work of nature ;
as for example, that a deer with Its breath through the nose
v/Ill draw a snake from the crevice In the rocks, kill and eat It
and then on account of the great heat of the poison pants for
828 Luther's church postil.
cooling streams as stated in Ps. 42, 1. Again, that a weasel will
induce a snake to come out of its hiding place by wagging its
tail before the opening to anger and excite the snake; and
then lies in wait so that, when the snake looks up after its ene-
my the weasel fastens its teeth in the neck of the snake be-
low the venomous fang and thus killing its enemy in its own
house.
Such arts the wise men studied, and in them is concealed
a great deal of wisdom concerning Christ as well as the con-
duct of men in life. But this art is not taught in the universi-
ties now. Hence even the peasants know more about it than
our wise men or natural masters who are not wrongfully called
natural fools, because in spite of so much labor and trouble
they have only retrograded and are the devil's mockingbirds.
If we would therefore truly interpret this Gospel we must
say: The masters of nature from the East or the naturalists
from Arabia have come.
14. Some are also surprised that they could come such
long distance in so few days, for it is believed that they ap-
peared the thirteenth day after Christ's birth, the geographers
state that the capital city Sheba in Arabia is a sixty days
journey from the Mediterranean sea, which is not much over
three German (i. e. fifteen English) miles from Bethlehem.
But questions of this kind do not trouble me very much, nor
is it an article of faith to believe that they appeared the thir-
teenth day.
15. Neither is it necessary to hold that they icame from the
capital city Sheba, or from the remotest parts of the country.
Perhaps they came from a place near the boundary of the
country and thus they had sufficient time to come in the usual
way of travel.
Mary being unclean had to remain at Bethlehem according
to the law for six weeks, just like any other woman, and might
thus have been found there even more than twenty or thirty
days. However, I will not interpret like the common idea
that they came in a miraculous manner; since no one needs
to hold as an article of faith the question as to how they pro-
ceeded, and what they were accustomed to do in such matters.
EPIPHANY. 329
Whatever the Scriptures do not reveal we do not consider an
article of faith.
16. Now the tlronght of the Evangelist is this: When
Christ Vv-as born under Herod, the first foreign king, and the
time of the prophecy was fulfilled, this wonderful sign occured.
He whom his own people and fellow citizens would neither
seek nor acknowledge was sought by such strangers and for-
eigners for many days. To him whom the learned and the
priests would not acknowledge and worship, came the wise
men and astrologers. It was indeed a great shame for the
whole Jewish land and people that Christ was born in their
midst, and they should first become aware of it through these
heathen people living so far away. At least in Jerusalem, the
capitol city, they should have known about it. An earnest ad-
monition to seek and to acknowledge Christ was given them.
But their neck was an iron sinew and their brow brass as Isaiah
says 48, 4.
"Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw
his star in the Bast, and are come to zvorship him."
17. Text and circumstances demand that we speak further
about the natural philosophers or masters of nature, because
here the wise men knew by the star of the birth of a King as
they declared. It must be observed that to every man is known
a certain portion of the knowledge of nature. For instance,
I know that a dog's tongue is good in healing wounds, that
a cat will catch mice even when she is not hungry, that a hawk
catches partridges etc. One individual may know more also
than others about nature either by his own experience, or
through instruction. God did not however reveal to us all
the facts about nature, but only a small portion of them. Yet
human reason is inquisitive and always wants to know more
and more, and thus originated the study and investigation of
nature.
18. But it is impossible that nature could be understood by
human reason after the fall of Adam, in consequence of which
it was perverted, any further than experience or divine illu-
mination allows. However, restless human reason will not sub-
830 i.uthe:r's church postiu
mit and be satisfied with this, desiring to know and see every-
thing. For this reason it begihs to speculate and to investi-
gate farther than is permissible, and thus despises what ex-
perience or God has given it. And yet it never attains what
it seeks after. All study and wisdom is but error and folly.
This is the reason why men, despising or not being able to
master this natural art, are divided into numerous sects. Some
have written about the earth, others about vv^ater, some about
this and others about that, so that there is no end to investig**^
tion and the making of books. Finally when they were tired
of the study of the earth, they turned to the heavens in order to
master also the nature of the heavens and the stars, with which
no one could ever have any experience. Here they were en-
tirely at liberty to dream, lie and deceive and to say about the
innocent heavens w^hatever they pleased. It is a true saying
that : Those who lie about distant countries lie as they please,
because no one has had sufficient experience to contradict.
19. So also here, because no one :can reach up into the
heavens and testify from experience as to the truth or falsity
of their teachings, they lie without fear. Hence they teach
that whoever is born in this or that sign must become a gamb-
ler, whoever is born under this or that star will become rich
or wise. Again, this one must be killed, or that one who builds,
marries or makes a journey on this or that day must fare so
or so. They say, it is the nature of the stars of heaven so
to effect human beings that happen to be born at such a time.
The Lord help us ! Human reason in all sincerity has come
to this, because these are all great and glaring lies, and cap-
tivating and unprofitable fables, in which reason in its blind-
ness finds the greatest pleasure, as it delights not so much in
the truth, as in fables and Ifes.
20. But finally the real champions appeared who, disdain-
ing to deal with child's play like this, opened their eyes widely
and began to investigate the whole world, whence it came and
whither it was going; whether it had a beginning or existed
from eternity and will continue to all eternity; whether there
is a supreme Being who rules all things etc. Here appeared
EPIPHANY. 331
the great light of nature, the heathen master, the supreme
master of all masters of nature, who now rules in Christ's
stead in all the universities viz: the great famous Aristotle,
who taught and still teaches them that a stone is heavy, that
a feather is light, that water is wet and that fire is dry ; again,
as a special master-piece that the earth is above and the
heavens below, which he proves by the fact that the roots of
trees and all kinds of plants are in the ground, and the limbs
grow heavenward. Now that part which receives nourishment
must always be above, and that part to which the nourishment
goes, must always be below as we observe in a human being.
Therefore man is a tree turned upside down. And thus when
a feather flies upward it goes downward, and when a stone
falls it rises upward.
21. Furthermore, when he speaks of the Supreme Being-
he concludes that the world existed from all eternity and will
exist forever, and that all souls die together with the body.
And the supreme being sits above the heavens, seeing nothing
that occurs, but constantly turns as blind fortune is pictured,
the heavens around once every day. In this way all things hap-
pen just as they do. His argument is this : Should the Supreme
Being see all things, he would see much evil and wrong, and
that would make him unhappy. In order to remain happy
he must see nothing but himself, and consequently rule the
world blindly, just like a mother cradles her child in the night.
22. This is the wisdom of the universities. Whoever knows
or learns this will have a brown cap placed upon his head
and be addressed: Worthy inagisfer arfiiim et philoso-
phiae! i. e. worthy master of the arts and of philosophy. He
who does not know this art, can never become a theologian
nor understand the holy Scriptures ; yes, he is considered a
heretic and can never become a Christian. Tell me, what
shall we call these people? They are neither wise men nor
sorcerers nor jugglers, but are mad, frantic and senseless.
Therefore consider whether Christ did not rightly chastise us
in that we have despised the Gospel, being unthankful, in that
he permitted us to become such disgraceful and vile dupes
332 IvUThe:r's church postil.
of the devil that we not only do not apprehend the fact, but
even with great expense, trouble and labor seek after it as
the greatest wisdom.
23. St. Paul prophesied all this saying: "Take heed lest
there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Col. 2, 8.
Again : "O Timothy, guard that which is committed unto thee,
turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions of
the knowledge which is falsely so called; which some profes-
sing have erred concerning the faith." 1 Tim. 6,20-21. Here
the apostle surely condemns in plain words the teachings of
the universities so emphatically that none can contradict him,
and wills that everthing that is not from Christ should be
avoided. Surely every one must confess that Aristotle, the
chief master of all the universities, teaches not only nothing
about Christ, but even teaches such foolish things, as has been
stated, that the apostle properly commands us to guard the
doctrine committed unto us, calling the natural art of Aristotle
unchristian, profane, meaningless babblings in opposition to
Christ, knowledge falsely so-called. How could the apostle
have explained it more plainly than by designating it thus?
There is no greater glory than that of Aristotle in the uni-
versities, and yet it is but a false glory. For this art is nothing
but an opposition that has arisen for the purpose of destroying
Christ.
24. Therefore, my dear hearer, let natural art depart. If
you do not know what powers the stars, stones, wood, animals
or any creatures possess, after which knowledge the natural
art strives, even doing its best, then be satisfied with that
which your experience and common sense teach you. Nor
does it matter much whether you know all this or not ; it is
enough for you to know that fire is hot and water cold and
wet, that in summer time different work must be done than
during the winter ; to know how to attend to your farm, stock,
home and children. This is enough for you as to natural art.
Bevond this think onlv of how you can learn to know Christ.
EPIPHANY. 333
He will teach you to know yourself, who you are and what
power lieth in you. In this way you will know God and your-
self, which no master of the arts of nature ever learned as St.
Paul says, 1 Cor. 2, 8.
25. Coming back to the text you might say. Yes, but the
Gospel says that these wise men learned from the stars the birth
of a king, and therefore it proves that astrology is to be taught
and known. God himself giving encouragement by causing a
star to rise and thus teaching the wise men.
26. Answer : Keep to the example and learn as these wise
men learned from the star, and then you will do right and not
fall into error, for there is no doubt about it that the sun, moon
and stars were created to be signs and to serve the earth with
their light, as Moses says, Gen. 1, 14. When the sun rises,
you learn that the day begins ; when it sinks, that the day has
ended ; and when it stands in the meridian, that it is noon-day.
Furthermore, it has been fixed as a sign and measure of time
and of the hours in which to do your work. So also the moon
and the stars at night. Again, you also need the sun as a
guide in tilling your farm and in caring for your stock, its
heat determining your work. Let it be sufficient to know this
much about the sun and the heavens. Whatever more you
desire to know, you do not need and is but idle curiosity for
the most part, unreliable and inclined to error. For instance,
when fools pretend to know how large the sun is, how far it
is from the earth, what particular power it has over gold, and
that one born in the sign of the sun will become wise, and
more such tomfoolery, for which they can give no sure reason.
27. Furthermore, you should also know that when the sun
loses fts brightness it is surely a sign which forbodes disaster ;
and likewise when a comet appears. This is taught by experi-
ence; and Christ says, Luke 21, 25, that such signs will appear
in the sun, moon and stars and will signify the final destruction
of the world. Great storms, lightning, floods and fire in the
air and on earth are also great signs. But h.ow these things
occur or what kilid of natural forces there are in all of these
signs, or what effect they mysteriously produce, about which
334 i^uther's church postil.
the magicians enquire and juggle; all this is of no value to
you nor necessary for you to know. It is enough that you
behold in all of these signs the wrath of God, and amend your
life. During these years there have also occurred many eclipses
and many signs have been seen in many countries, presaging
great disturbances. Thus the eclipse at the suffering of Christ
signified the calamity which rests upon the Jews to this day.
These are indeed certain signs for which purpose God created
them, but those of w^hich astrologers dream are unreliable.
28. Hence these wise men had nothing else in this star
than a sign and only used it as such according to the decree
of God. Therefore, astrologers and fortune tellers can not find
encouragement for their false art in this Gospel. For though
these wise men may also have been infatuated by this art, in
this case they used this star only as a sign. They do not at all
fortell w4iat Christ would be in the future, what should happen
to him, do not concern themselves about it. They are satisfied
that it was a sign of a great king, and only ask where he is to
be found.
29. And in order that Christ might forever stop the mouth
of such babblers, he created for hfs birth a special new star
as yet unsullied by their babbling. Knowing that they might
say that he was born under the power of this star, he meets
them beforehand and says : This star is not like one of those
about which you are speculating. If the future fate of all men
rests in the stars, as you teach, then there can be no such power
in this star, which is new and of a different nature than the
other stars, of wdiich you have hitherto not heard or known
anything. Again, if none of the other stars had any power
over Christ, having his own new star, it follows that they have
no power over any human being, because Christ was in every
respect a man like other men. Furthermore, if this new star
had no power over other men, existing only for a short time,
it certainly had also no power over Christ, as he is just like
all other men. For this reason astrology is mere tomfoolery.
80. But how these w^ise men could see in this star a sign
that unmistakably signified a new-born king, I do not know.
EPIPHANY. 335
Perhaps they read in their histories and chronicles that afore-
time the birth of other kings had been signified in the heavens
or through a star. For we find also in the histories of the
Romans and the Greeks that the coming or birth of some
great princes and extraordinary men had been foretold by
miracles and signs in the a?r and in the heavens. These wise
men also knew quite well that these Jews were the chosen
people of God, who were and had been above all other people,
especially favored of God. Therefore, as this was such a
beautiful star, they certainly thought that God had given this
people a new king. But the claim of some that these wise men
knew the saying of Balaam : "There shall come forth a star
out of Jacob," etc. (Num. 24, 17), will avail nothing, as this
passage speaks mainly of the spiritual coming of Christ, who
is the star himself. But whoever is not satisfied with this may
think as he pleases about it. Perhaps they knew all by divine
revelation.
31. At first they did not consider this king to be God, but
in the usual manner took him for a temporal king, just as the
queen of Sheba considered Solomon a king, coming to him
with presents from her country. For this reason they also
come to Jerusalem, the 'capital city, hoping to find him in the
king's palace and in splendor. For the star that they saw over
the Jewish country when they were yet at home in Arabia,
must have disappeared so that they did not see it again on
their journey till they proceeded from Jerusalem to Bethlehem,
as the Gospel states.
32. But when they say, We have seen his star, they do not
yet think that Christ had created it, but that it was his star
because it signified his birth, just as the astrologers today call
each man's sign in which he was born his si'gn, not as though
he had created it himself. For the glory of Christ's divinity
remained unseen until his ascension, though glimpses were
sometimes aftorded.
33. So also when they worshipped him, they did it after the
manner of those eastern countries, as the Scriptures state, not
as though they considered them gods. The falling down before
oob LUTHKR S CHURCH POSTIL.
them and the homage given Is called worship by the Scriptures
and it is applied both to men and God, just as the words lord
and king, yea, even the name of God are applied to man as
when Jehovah said to Moses: "See, I have made thee as God
to Pharaoh." Ex. 7, 1.
II. THE ATTITUDE OF HEROD TO THE ARRIVAL
OF THE WISE MEN.
''And when Herod the king heard it, he zvas troubled, and
all Jerusalem zvith him/'
34. Why are they troubled ? Were not the Jews waiting for
Christ who was promised them by God, as we have seen from
Gen. 49,10? Were not Simeon and Anna and many more
pious people at Jerusalem at that time looking for Christ's
coming and rejoicing in it? That Herod was troubled, there
was good reason. He feared the loss of his kingdom because
he well knew that he was a foreigner and merited the ill will
of the Jews. He also knew that the Jews looked for the Christ
who should deliver them as Moses had done. Troubled by his
conscience, he feared an insurrection against him and that he
be driven from his kingdom. On the other hand the Jews
feared Herod and the Romans, believing that to have a new
king would mean much bloodshed for them. They had before
this, to their own great misfortune, revolted against the Ro-
mans and Herod, hence they were minded l?ke the people of
Israel in Egypt, who, when Moses was to lead them out and
they were oppressed more than before, murmured against
Moses. This was a sign of their weak faith, just as this fear
of the Jews at Jerusalem indicates unbelief, and more trust in
human than divine power.
35. However, the true believers were not frightened, but
rather rejoiced. And when the Evangelist says that all Jerusa-
lem was troubled together with Herod, he does not mean all
the iuhabitants and citizens of the city, but speaks after the
manner of the Scriptures, viz., that when it mentions a city
only and not its inhabitants also, it means not all who dwell m
EPIPHANY. 337
it but the majority of them. Thus it is often said in the book
of Joshua that he destroyed this and that city, kilHhg all the
inhabitants and whatever lived in it, but meaning only the
largest part and number of them.
''And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of
the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be
born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Jiidea, for thus
it is zuritten through the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, land
of Judah, art in no zvise least among the princes of Jndah : for
out of thee shall come forth a governor, zi^ho shall be shepherd
of my people Israel"
36. Here we ask, why did not Christ lead these wise men
to Bethlehem by the star instead of allowing his birth, which
was now known, to be learned from the Scriptures? This was
done that he might teach us to adhere to the Scriptures and not
depend on our own wisdom nor the teaching of any man.
The Scriptures have been giVen for a purpose. In them he
desires to be found, and nowhere else. Whoever despises and
rejects these shall and will never find him.
We have also heard, in Luke 2, 12, that the angel also gave
the shepherds a sign, but not to Mary nor to Joseph nor to any
other men, no matter how pious they were, but gave to them
only the swaddling clothes and the manger in which he w3.s
wrapped and laid ; that is, the writings of the prophets and
the law ; in these he is wrapped, they contain him, they speak
only of him and bear witness of him ; they are his sure sign, as
he says himself. ''Ye search the Scriptures because ye think
that in them ye have eternal life ; and these are they which
bear witness of me." John 5, 39. And Paul says: "A right-
eousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the
law and the prophets." Rom. 3, 21. Furthermore, we have
also heard that Simeon and Anna represent the Scriptures,
which manifest Christ and bear him in their arms. And
acording to Luke 16, 29-31, Abraham would not grant the
request of Dives in hell that Lazarus be sent to his brothers,
but points to the Scriptures, saying: "They have Mos^s and
the prophets : let them hear them. If they hear not Moses and
338 i^uthkr's church postil.
the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rise from
the dead."
37. Against this divine doctrine our learned men have until
now set up all kinds of means to learn the truth. We must
speak of a few in order to guard ourselves against them. In
the first place they have set up innumerable laws, statutes,
articles and teachings invented by men, such as clerical canons,
orders, regulations, etc.; all of which are without doubt not
the swaddling clothes and the manger of Christ, neither do
they represent Simeon nor Anna. St. Paul has earnestly warned
us against such teachings and urged us to abide in the Word of
God alone. For all human doctrines are dangerous and cause
us to depart from the faith, just as Solomon was led astray
by strange women, and as Paul says, Tit. 1, 14, "That fables
and commandments of men turn away from the truth."
o8. If any one were to use human doctrines as he eats and
drinks and wears clothing, they might be harmless. No one
eats or drinks or clothes himself for the purpose of becoming
holy and being saved thereby. Such an opinion or conviction
would be base folly for anyone. His intention and desire to
become holy rests upon this, that he strives firmly to believe in
Christ and thus become holy and be saved. Such intention is
correct and the desire good. Hence let him who fasts, labors,
wears the garments of monks or priests, or keeps the rules ot
his order, consider this just as he considers eating and drink-
ing, not as making him holy by doing it, or as making him
unholy by omitting it. Let him know that he can become holy
only through faith. Doing this he will be safe and human
teachings will do him no more harm than eating and drinking
or the wearing of clothing. But where are they that are doing
this? Among a thousand there is scarcely one, for they usually
all say : If I do not becouKi holy and am not saved by such a
life, order, regulations and work, what a fool I am to walk in
them and observe them.
39. It is therefore not possible for human doctrines not to
lead away from the truth, as Paul says. For one of two
things must take place, viz. ; They will either be despised
E)PIPHANY. 339
and rejected when it is understood that they will not
make us holy nor save us; or they will ensnare and deaden
conscience and conviction if it is believed that they do make
us holy and must therefore be kept. In this case faith is
destroyed and the soul must perish. There is no help nor
rescue. For true faith cannot exist nor can it tolerate that any-
one should conscientiously hold something else to be necessary
to become holy and be saved than faith in Christ alone. There-
fore, whoever has this faith can not trust in human teachfngs,
but observes them when and wherever he pleases, being lord
over them. But he who follows human doctrines without hav-
ing faith, can never apprehend faith, remains forever a slave
of human commandments and will never do a really good work,
as St. Paul says. Tit. 1, 16. For this reason we must hold fast
to the plain teaching of Scripture which presents Christ only,
and that by faith in him we become true Christians and then
freely do all kinds of good works to the good of our neighbor,
as has often been said.
40. In the second place they point us to tradition and the
examples of the saints to strengthen and prove their man-
made teachings. And this is very effective and leads many
souls to destruction. It leads away from the Scriptures and
faith in such a smooth unsuspecting manner that no one is
aware of it. Thus they point to St. Benedict, Gregory, Bernard,
Augustine, Francis, Dominic and many other saints, whom we
all recognize as holy men and say that they observed such
human ordinances and regulations and by virtue of them became
holy men. Tell me how can the simple-minded Christian with-
stand such arguments and still keep the faith ? It must be an
apostolic or evangelical spirit that will here remain firm. Oh,
how sure they are and how boldly they parade! When they
produce such examples of holy men they think that they have
kindled a great light.
41. Now, if I say to them, these holy men also ate, drank,
slept and wore clothing, does it therefore follow that we should
also establish an eat-order, drink -order, sleep-order and clothes-
order ? They will answer : O, these holy fathers did not observe
340 luther's church postii..
this, viz., eating and drinking, etc, to become pious and holy
men, as they observed these other regulations which they
believed to be good and holy institutions. Here I answer, if
you say that these holy fathers become pious and holy through
such human ordinances more than by eating and drinking,
sleeping and wearing clothing, then you are quite mistaken.
For God has wisely desisted from ever hono-ring one of these
saints with a miracle on account of his good works, rather
were they all full of the spirit and faith. You seem to care
not for their spirit and faith, but instead cling to their external
deeds only. A fool would do the same if he w^ere to sleep all
his Hfe because he heard that St. Bernard also slept once, and
were to hope thereby to become holy and be saved. Therefore
these holy men are wronged if it is claimed that they observed
these ordinances to become holy and be saved, and the people
are deceived by the life and in the name of these saints.
42. But you may say: Yes, but they still kept them, did
not reject them, nor consider them so important as you seen.i
to teach. Answer : It is not for you or me to judge their hearts
and intentions, bot we say this, It is not impossible that they
considered them of too great importance. If so, they as human
beings, have erred concerning them For everybody must con-
fess that the saints have also erred and sinned. Therefore God
demands that we look to his Word only, and not follow the
example of the saints except as these agree with the word of
God. But whenever they as human beings follow also their
own inventions or human teachings, then we should do as the
pious Shem and Japhet, who covered the wickedness of their
father, and not like the impious Ham, who went around talking
about it. Thus we should keep silent about the infirmities of
the saints and not make them known that we may follow them
only in their strength.
It is no wonder that these saints have stumbled and erred
in these things. The knowledge of Christ and of faith is so
above the natural man that only God's grace can work it in
us. Flesh and blood can not reveal it unto us, but only the
Father in heaven, as Christ says. Math. IG, 17. Even greater
EPIPHANY. 341
saints than Augxistine, Benedict, Gregory and others like them
have erred in these things. At the time of the apostles there
were already such teachers, against whom St. Paul wrote all
his epistles in order to keep the faith altogether free from
works and human doctrines.
43. And that you may marvel still more, the whole Chris-
tian church in its early days, and at its best, erred in these
things, only Peter, Paul and Barnabas standing firm and hold-
ing that neither law nor good works are profitable and neces-
sary for salvation. St. Luke clearly states it in Acts 15. There
were great saints there, the apostles and their disciples who
insisted and would have continued to insist that the law and
good works were necessary for salvation, had not St. Paul
and Peter declared against it. And even they themselves would
not have known this had not God by miraculous signs from
heaven confirmed them in their opinion that only faith is
profitable and necessary for salvation, as we read. Acts 10, 43.
44. ^lore than this, although St. Peter knew all this and
helped to defend it, yet at Antioch he also erred and made
improper use of his Christian liberty, and only St. Paul under-
stood him, as he writes. Gal. 2, 11. Not as though St. Peter
believed that he must keep the law, but that he did not at once
make proper use of his Christian liberty, which he well under-
stood thinking that he had to hesitate for the sake of others,
This was wrong and was censured by Paul.
Therefore, it amounts to nothing whatever if those works
of the saints are referred to which they did outside of the
Scriptures. They are deceiving just as well and even more
than the errors of heretics and false teachers, because real and
true holiness adorns such infirmities altogether too much. God
]:)ermits such things in order that he might hold us to his Word
and doctrine without which there is neither life nor light, even
if all the angels were to teach such things.
45. In the third place, they hold up to us the saints' inter-
pretations of the Scriptures, and consider them a great light.
They finally adhere to them and believe that in these interpre-
tations they possess something that no one could reject, and
342 tUl^H^R's CHURCH POSTlJ..
claim again and again in order to keep us away from the pure
Word that the Scriptures are obscure and make many heretics.
46. Is not this a masterpiece of blasphemy? But who guar-
antees them that the fathers are not also obscure ? Or who will
give us the guaranty that the fathers did not err in their inter-
pretations? Indeed it is well known that they did often err,
often contradicted themselves, often contradicted each other
and very seldom wxre unanimous in their agreement. God per-
mitted this to happen to make uncertain also the interpretations
of the fathers and to warn us on all sides not to depart from
the Scriptures. And yet we stumble here and do not permit
ourselves to be guided by the Scriptures. Therefore we should
know that it is not true when they say : The fathers give light
to the obscure Scriptures. They are doing injustice to the
fathers, and belie them. The work of the fathers was not to
give light to the Scriptures with their comments, but rather
to set forth the clear Scriptures and thus i'nterpret Scripture
by Scripture only without any additions of their own.
47. However, that heretics originated from the Scriptures,
is true. From where else should they have come ? There is no
other book that teaches the Christian faith but the Scriptures.
Therefore, as no one can become a Christian except by the
Scriptures, so also can no one become a heretic but by the same
Scriptures. Christ is indeed a sign spoken against and set for
the falling and rising of many. Should we on that account
reject him or set up another Christ by his side? You do not
at the same time need wine and bread, but should we on that
account quit tilling the farm and the vineyards or start others
besides them ? Satan is the enemy of the Scriptures and there-
fore he has decried and calumniated them by this clamor and
blasphemy.
48. But what does this Gospel teach? In the first place,
these wise men did not inquire after the chief priests and do
not ask : Where is Annas or Caiaphas, or how did this or that
man live? But they ask: Where is the newborn king of the
Je\\_? Yes, Christ permits them, as a warning to us, to go
astray and to seek him in Jerusalem in the holy city among
EPIPHANY. 349
the priests, the learned and the royalty. He is not found in the
holy place nor in the holy customs. Nor did they receive as an
answer any human opinions, but only what the Scriptures say
about Christ, which alone are to be sought among the holv
people and in holy places.
49. Sufficient examples are here given to show us that
disregarding all human works, teachir^s, comments and life
we should be mindful only of the clear Scriptures, and as to
the life and teachings of the saints preserve the right not to
rake or snatch up everything that they teach or live, but rather
to sit in judgment on these things and accept with discretion
only that which is compatible v/ith the Scriptures. But what
is their own, without Scripture proof, we should consider as
human inventions and avoid, as St. Paul teaches: Prove all
things; hold fast that which is good. 1 Thess. 5,21. ]\Ioses
has also indicated this, Levit. 11,3, Deut. 14,6, where he
describes clean and unclean beasts, that all animals which are
not cloven footed and ruminant are unclean. These are the
men who are not cloven footed, who spend their lives care-
lessly, rake up whatever comes before them and follow it.
But the clean animals are those men who by the spirit act with
discretion in all external things and doctrines. Whatever they
see harmonizing with the Scriptures they keep, but whatever is
without Scriptural foundation and mere human inventions they
dismiss, no matter how great and famous the saints who taught
it may be. For no saint has been so perfect as to be free from
flesh and blood, or the continued struggle with flesh and blood,
so that it is scarcely possible that all their teachings and works
were spiritually perfect and are to be accepted as examples.
Human nature and reason often concurred in their work, and
these are not to be trusted at all. Plence Moses commands us
to be cloven footed and Paul -to discern the spirits and not to
accept all the works and doings of men.
50. Now in these three things, viz., human teachings, ex-
amples of the saints and the comments of the fathers, they think
and many believe it that they are quite right, that no one dares
to doubt or contradict them and that they rule here in perfect
p,44 i.uther's church postil.
safety. They imagine that no one but they alone possess the
holy Scriptures, which they have so beautifully summarized in
these three vessels.
51. In addition they sink still deeper into the abyss of
spiritual darkness when they claim that natural light or intellect
and heathen philosophy are also safe means of discovering the
truth. In this direction the universities have gone so far astray
that they teach that no one can be a theologian, i. e. one of the
best Christians without Aristotle. O blindness above all blind-
ness !
It might be tolerated if they were to refer here to truths
of nature as would call this natural philosophy, viz., that fire
is hot, that three and five are eight, etc., which reason at once
recognizes. But they soar high and invent idle dreams and
useless thoughts about things that are vain and of which they
know nothing; and it is grievous to think of their senseless,
absurd studying. They go to so much expense and trouble
that even Satan mocks at them, Avhereby God deservedly pun-
ishes them because they would not abide in the pure Word.
For this reason they must devour the very pollution of hell
and be lost.
52. They then meddled even with the work of the devil and
followed the example of the souls or spirits appearing and pray-
ing for help and believed everything that these spirits said
without fear or hesitation. Thus the mass. i. e. the Lord's
Supper, has been so abused by saying mass for souls in purga-
tory and by the selling of indulgences, that the whole world
by shedding tears of blood day and night could not bewail
it sufficiently.
Thus the devil has permitted himself to be conjured and
constrained to reveal the truth and has turned our faith and
sacrament into play and mockery to his own liking. All this is
the result and reward of our overcuriousness, which has not
been satisfied with the Scriptures of God and has made our
true and faithful God and Father a fool and down, who pre-
tends to teach us by his Word and yet does not care to teach
us that which we ought and necessarilv need to know. For this
EPIPHANY. 345
reason he serves us right In permitting us to become the devil's
pupils, inasmuch as we despised his school.
53. But you say : Should we then deny that wandering
spirits go astray and seek for help ? Answer : Let wander who
will, you listen to what God commands. If you hold all
these spirits in suspicion, you are not sinning; but if you hold
some of them to be genuine and honest, you are already in-
danger of erring. And why? Because God does not want
you to seek and learn the truth from the dead. He himself
wants to be your living and all sufficient teacher. To his Word
you should :cling. He knows best what to tell you about the
living and the dead, for he knows all things. But whatever
he does not want to tell you, you should not desire to know, and
give him the honor to believe that he knows what is not neces-
sary, profitable nor good for you to know.
54. Therefore you should freely and unhesitatingly cast
all such ghostly apparitions to the winds and not be afraid of
them ; they will then leave you in peace. And should it seem,
that perhaps in 3^our house you hear a hobgoblin or rumbling
spirit, then make no ado about it, but be assured that it can not
be a good spirit come from God. Make the sign of the cross
and firmly hold to your faith. Has he been sent by God to
chastise you, like Job, then be ready to endure it willingly,
but should it be the spirit's own sport, then defy him by strong
faith and joyfully depend on God's Word. Depend upon it
he will not attack that.
However, I hold that none of these hobgoblins are ordained
of God to molest us, but it is their own niischief to terrify the
people, because they have no longer any power to harm. If
they had any power to harm, they would surely not engage in
much racketing, but do their evil work before you could be
aware who had done it. But if a good spirit were to visit
you, it would not occur with such noise and frivolity. Do this
and manifest strong faith and you will find that such a spirit
is not of God, and will cease its work. If you have not such
faith, then he will have easy work, for then God's Word which
alone he fears is not with you.
346 I.UTHER^S CHURCH POSTIL.
55. The words of the Scriptures upon which you should
boldly rely are Luke 16, 29, where Abraham said to Dives in
hell, who desired the departed Lazarus to be sent to his brothers
living on earth, but Abraham refusing to do this, said : "They
have Tyloses and the prophets, let them hear them." From
these words it' is plain that God will not have us taught by
the dead, but have us abide in his Word. Therefore, no mat-
ter how and where a spirit comes to you, do not ask whether
he be good or evil, but bravely, quickly and defiantly cast into
his teeth the words : "they have Moses and the prophets," and
he will soon imderstand what you mean. Is it a good spirit,
he will only love you the more for adhering so gladly and
firmly to the Word of your God. Is it an evil spirit, a-s are all
those that are noisy, he will soon bid you adieu.
Again, another word of God is spoken by Moses in Deut.
18,11: "When thou art come into the land which Jehovah
thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abomi-
nations of those nations. There shall not be found with thee
any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through
fire, one that useth divination, one that practiceth augury, or an
enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a consulter with a
familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer."
Here you are told that it is an abomination in the sight of
God to consult the dead or the spirits, and it is strictly for-
bidden. To this word of Moses Abraham looked when he did
not permit Lazarus to come back to the earth. You can also
use this passage against these spirits, saying : "Thou shalt not
consult the dead, saith the Lord."
56. God has insisted on this so firmly, that there is no
example recorded in the Scriptures, where the saints have ever
consulted the dead about anything. And this is the third argu-
ment that you can use against these spirits : No one ever heard
or read of an example in the Scriptures as to such spirits and
their work, hence the whole must be condemned and avoided as
of the devil.
57. From this we maw easily learn, that the coming up of
Samuel was an apparition, 1 Sam. 28, 13, inasmuch as it is alto-
gether contrary to this commandment of God. It is therefore
EPIPHANY. 347
not to be assumed that the reai propiiex Samuel came up by the
power of the witch of En-dor. But that the Scriptures are
silent on this point, not telling us whether it was the real or
false Samuel, is because they demand of everybody to remem-
ber well that through Moses God forbade to consult the dead.
And he never revokes his Word, as Job says and Balaam also,
Num. 23, 19. How can the witch have any power over the
saints, who are resting in God's hands?
58. However, should it be said: In this way purgatory
will also be denied, I will answer: You are not a heretic
for disbelieving in purgatory, as there is nothing said about it
in the Scriptures. And it is better not to believe that which is
outside of the Scriptures, than to depart from that which is in
the Scriptures. Let pope and Papists here rage as they please,
who have made purgatory an article of faith because it has
brought to them the wealth of the earth but also countless
souls to hell, souls that depended and relied on good works
for redemption from it. God gave no command concerning
purgatory, but he did command us in no way to consult the
'^'^ad nor to believe what they say. Consider God more truth-
ful and trustworthy than all angels, to say nothing of the pope
and the Papists who, as all their work is but lying and deceiv-
ing, awaken but little faith in purgatory. However, if you
want to pray for the dead, I will not interfere. I am of the
opinion that purgatory is not so general as they say, but that
only a few souls will enter it. Still as I have said, it is without
any danger to your soul if you do not believe in a purgatory.
You are not called upon to believe more than what the Scrip-
tures teach.
But should they advance also the sayings and comments
of Gregory, Augustine and other saints concerning purgatory,
then remember that I have already told you how far these
saints are to be followed and believed. Who will assure us
that they did not err and were not deceived here as in many
other things.
59. Our faith must have a sure foundation, God's Word;
and not the sand or bog of human custom anc? inventions.
With this Tsaiah also agrees when he says. 'And wHen they shall
348 Luther's church postil.
say unto you, Seek unto them that have famiUar spirits and
unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter. Should not a
people seek unto their God? On behalf of the living should
they seek unto the dead? To the law and the testim.ony ! If
they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morn-
ing for them etc." Is. 8, 19-20. This is certainly a clear pas-
sage that-urges and compels us to seek in God's law and testi-
mony all that we want to know. And he who will not do this,
shall.be deprived of the morning light which no doubt means
Christ and the truth itself. Note also that after Isaiah said we
should seek unto God, so that no one might stare at the heavens
and expect something extraordinary from God, he shows where
and whence we should seek unto God, saying : To the law and
to the testimony. He will not permit any seeking unto God in
himself outside of the Scriptures, much less will he permit
it in others.
60. Closes mentions many ways by which men seek knowl-
edge. Deut. 18, 10-11 There are eight classes as follows.
1. The users of dhiiiafioii. They are those who reveal the
future, like the astrologers and false prophets by inspiration
of the devil. 2. Those that praetiee augury. They designate
some days as lucky for making a journey, for building, for
marrying, for wearing fine clothes, for battle and for all kinds
of transactions. 3. The enchanters or rather diviners — I know
no better name to call these, who conjure the devil by means of
mirrors, pictures, sticks, words, glass, crystals, fingers, nails,
circles, rods, etc., and expect in this way to discover hidden
treasures, history and other things. 4. The sorcerers, or witches,
the devil mongers who steal milk, make the weather, ride on
goats, brooms and sails (mantles) shoot the people, cripple and
torture and wither, slay infants in the cradle, bewitch certain
members of the body, etc. 5. The charmers, who bless people
and animals, bewitch snakes, bespeak steel and iron, bluster
and see much, and can do wonders. G. The consulters of fa-
VI i liar spirits, who have the devil in their ears and tell the
people what they have lost, what they are doing or what they
will do in the future, just as the g}-psies do. 7. The zeizards,
who can change things into diiterent forms so that something
EPIPHANY. 349
may look like a cow or an ox, which in reality is a human be-
ing, that can drive people to illicit love and intercourse, and
more such works of the devil. 8. The necromancers, who are
walking spirits.
61. Behold, !Moses did not forget anything, stopping up
every avenue where men seek to learn, outside of the Word of
God. Thus he has often denounced self-conceit and human
reason, especially Deut. 12,8: Ye shall not do after all the
things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right
in his own eyes. And Prov. 3, 5 : Trust in Jehovah with all
thy heart and lean not upon thine own understanding. He does
this that we might know that God wants us to follow neither
our own reason nor that which is above reason, but only his
Word, as Isaiah said above, not to seek unto the living nor the
dead, but to seek unto God only in the law and testimony.
St. Peter also says in 2 Peter 1,19: "And we have the word
of prophecy made more sure ; whereunto ye do wxll that ye
take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day
dawns, and the day-star arise in your hearts." Does not St.
Peter here agree nicely with Isaiah as to God's Word and the
dawn of the moring ? And when St. Peter says that the Word
alone is a light that shines in a dark place, does he not clearly
show that there is only darkness where God's Word is absent ?
62. This digression was necessary in order to reply to the
false teachers and doctrines of men, and to preserve the Scrip-
tures in their purity. \\"e now come back to our text and learn
of these wise men to ask: "Where is the new born King of
the Jews ?" Let Herod consult the priests and scribes, we will
only inquire after the new born King. Let the universities
ask, Where is Aristotle? Where is the pope? What does
human reason teach? W'hat says St. Bernard, St. Gregory,
the church councils and the learned doctors, etc.. We ask,
AMiere is Christ ? We are not satisfied until we hear what the
Scriptures say about him. We are not concerned as to how
great and holy Jerusalem is, nor how great and mighty Rome
may be. We seek neither Jerusalem nor Rome, but Christ the
King in the Scriptures. If we have the Scriptures, we cast aside
350 luthi;r's church postHv.
Herod, the priests and the scribes, Jerusalem and Rome, and
search in them till we find Jesus.
63. However we learn here that the Scriptures and Christ
have three kinds of disciples. The first are the priests and the
scribes. They know and teach the Scriptures to all, but do not
come to him. Is not this great hardness of heart and contempt
on the part of the learned ? They hear and see that great and
honest men come from a far country to seek Christ, and they
are told that a star in the heavens testified to his birth; in
addition they themselves produce testimony from the Script-
ures. Since they were the priests and most learned men they
should have been the first, joyfully and eagerly to hurry to
Bethlehem. Yes, if they had been told that Christ had been born
in some Eastern country, they should even then by all means
have hurried to him, inasmuch as all their hopes and consola-
tion rested in Christ's coming.
64. But they feared Herod who would surely have killed
them, if they had without word confessed Christ and their will-
ingness to accept him as their king, as he had before killed Hir-
canus and many others and slew innocent babes. Hence be-
cause they feared death they forsook their Lord and king, and
remained with the tyrant Herod and the devil.
65. Afterward when Christ did not appear with splen-
dor and power they looked with contempt and disregard upon
all this, believing that the wise men had been deceived. Hence
Christ grew up among them entirely unknown, and no one
knew finally whence he should come as stated, John 1, 26.
There are disciples of Christ who indeed know the truth,
but dare not confess it nor defend it, and are therefore lost as
Christ says Math. 10,82-33: "Everyone therefore who shall
confess me before men him will I also confess before my
Father who is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before
men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven."
66. The second class of disciples are Herod and his people.
Herod searched the Scriptures, believing that it was the truth,
and that the coming of Christ was predicted therein, and that
Christ had now been born, otherwise he would despise all this
and not have been concerned about it. Hence it is certain that
ÄPIPHANY. 351
he held the Scriptures to be the Word of God which must be
fulfilled, and that in Christ's birth the work of God was re-
vealed. Yet he at once determines to set himself intentionally
and directly against God's Word and work, and thinks he can
bring to naught that which God has spoken and done, in spite
of better knowledge. Therefore he searched the Scriptures,
diligently to learn about Christ, but only for the purpose of
bringing to naught and destroying all. He was concerned lest
that which God, who cannot lie, spoke, would come to pass. Is
not this incredibly foolish arrogance ? Who would have thought
that such intentions could have ever entered the human heart ?
And yet the world is always full of such people, and they are
generally the rulers and upper classes.
67. The third class of disciples are the pious wise men who
left their country, home and possessions, forsaking all in order
to find Christ. They represent the people who fearlessly con-
fess Christ and the truth; but Herod stands for those who
persecute and destroy the former, though they still claim to
serve God, and enter the house of God just as other pious per-
sons do.
The Prophecy of Micah.
68. One may be interested in asking why the Evangelist
changed the words of the prophet and said . "And thou Beth-
lehem, land of Judah, art in no wise least among the princes of
Judah ; for out of thee shall come forth a governor, who shall
be shepherd of my people Israel :" While the prophet Micah
says : "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, which art little to be
among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one scome
forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel." Micah 5, 2.
Matthew says: Thou art in no wise the least, but Micah
says : Thou art little. How do these two statements agree with
each other?
69. The other difference between Matthew and Micah,
the former saying: Among the princes of Judah, the latter:
Among the thousands of Judah, can easily be adjusted as the
Hebrew word Alpha means both a prince and a thousand,
hence whoever choses may interpret the prophet either way.
352 i^uther's church postii,.
For Instance if I say, There comes a duke, by this one may
understand either a prince or an army, as duke means a prince,
and also a leader of an army, and whatsoever an army is doing
we usually say the duke did it. The law of Moses also pro-
vides that men should be made rulers over thousands, Ex. 18,
21, so that we can say among the princes or rulers as well as
among the thousands. For the prince stands for the army of
thousands into which the people were divided. And among
them the princes or thousands in Judah the city of Bethlehem
is mentioned as being the least, just as though we v/ere to say:
Among the cities of Saxony, Wittenberg is the least. But it
pleased the Evangelist to say among the princes rather than
among the thousands, as it is not necessary that there should be
just a thousand men, it being sufficient that there be a regiment
in which there may be a thousand men, and always having a
prince who may rule over a thousand.
So also might we call the mayor of each city, or the com-
munity, Alpha i. e. a thousand, or a community in which there
may be about a thousand inhabitants who have an Alpha i. e.
a prince or a mayor. Hence we might render the words of
the Evangelist and the prophet thus : And thou Bethlehem art
a humble and common city among the communities or cities of
Judah. And in comparison to such cities as Hebron, Kariath,
and Sephar, etc.. It was but a small city at that time.
70. That the prophet calls the city Bethlehem Ephrathah,
and the Evangelist Bethlehem in Judah, is after all the same, for
both of them undoubtedly intended to point out that city which
aforetime was called Ephrathah, but now Bethlehem in the land
of Judah. We heard in the first gospel lesson for Christmas why
this city was called Ephrathah and Bethlehem, that is, a country
rich in grain, from which it perhaps has its name. For Beth-
lehem means a house of bread, and Ephrathah means fruitful,
so that it must havebeeen a rich country and bless^' with
plenty (with plenty of food in it.)
71. Nor does it present any difficulty that the prophet says :
"A ruler in Israel," and the Evangelist: ''A governor, who
shall be a shepherd of my people Israel." The latter speaks of
a government without saying how blessed it is nor how it rules.
EPIPHANY. 353
72. But how can we harmonize the fact that the prophet
calls the city little, and the Evangelist in no zmse least. These
seem diametrically opposed to each other. It would not be a
sufficient answer to say that the books were falsified. There
can be no doubt that the Evangelist looks more at the spiritual
greatness which is also indicated by the prophet, as though he
would say: Thou Bethlehem art little before men, but before
God thou really art in no wise the least inasmuch as the ruler
of Israel shall come out of thee. Hence what the prophet
meant but did not express, the Evangelist states clearly. The
figure of speech by which a certain thing is not directly men-
tioned but only indicated is also used in common conversation.
If I say for instance: You are my friend, yet you side with
my enemies, I really said : You are not of the least among
my enemies. Again: The beggars are poor, yet they have
much money, that is, they are not die poorest. So also when
Paul says in Rom. 2, 22, "Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou
rob temples?" he means thou dost not infrequently abhor
idols in order to rob the temples.
73. Let this suffice for it does not afford much pleasure to
argue very much on this point, nor is it necessary for a true
believer to do so for he gives all glory to God and never doubts
that everything is truly and correctly stated in the Scriptures,
though he is not able to prove everything. For the learned it is
necessary in order to defend the Scriptures against the blas-
phemers and perverse. Therefore we return to the sense and
meaning of the Scriptures, which do not speak here of a com-
mon master in Israel such as there had been many before,
whom the prophets so highly honored and predicted must be
altogether different from others. For the passage of Micah
reads as if there had been no ruler in Israel before, because
lie says out of Bethlehem shall he come forth that shall be a
ruler in Israel. That sounds as though he would say: I will
give the people of Israel a ruler, so that they may also have
their own prince. So far the kings and princes have only
been servants, and the people were not their own. This one
however shall be a ruler to whom the people belong.
74. For this reason the fathers among them alwavs under-
354 i,uthe:r's church postii..
stood such passages to mean that Christ would be not only man,
but God, and that his government would be without end, and
not be a temporal but a spiritual government. For no man, nor
angel has a people of his own. God alone is the Lord of his
own people as David says. "The Lord ministereth judgment
to the people." Ps. 7, 8. And when Gideon was asked by the
people to rule them he replied: "I will not rule over you,
neither shall my son rule over you : The Lord shall rule over
you." Judges 8, 23. And when the people asked for a king of
Samuel, God said: "They have not rejected thee, but they
have rejected me, that I should not be king over them." 1
Sam. 8, 7. Not that it was a sin to have a King for he gave
them one ; but they trusted more in human power and govern-
ment than in God. And that was a great sin.
75. Now if Christ was to be a ruler over his own people,
then his government could be neither temporal nor corporeal,
but he must rule over the entire people past, present and future.
Therefore he must be an eternal king. And this he can only be
spiritually. But as God bestows on Christ his own govern-
ment, he could not be a human being only. For it is not possi-
ble for God to bestow his glory, government, property or people
on one who is not true God, as he himself declares: "And
my glory will I not give to another." Is. 42, 8.
76. Therefore Micah continues : 'Whose goings forth are
from of old, from everlasting J' As if he would say : I proclaim
the ruler that shall come out of Bethlehem, but he does not
there begin to be ; he has been already from the beginning be-
fore the world began, in that no day or beginning can be
named in which he did not already have his being. Now from,
all eternity and before the creation of the world there existed
nothing but God alone. Hence the going forth from everlast-
ing could not be by one person only, for going forth signifies
that there was some one from whom he came forth. Hence
Micah proves that this ruler must be God's own true son, born
of God the Father, and that the one true God must be with
him eternally before all creation began.
77. Again, if he shall come out of Bethlehem in time,
then he must be a true and natural man. And this, viz. that
EPIPHANY. 355
Christ is God and man is the corner stone of Christian faith.
Those are his own people and the true Israel who acknowl-
edged him as such a ruler and permit him to rule and work
in their hearts.
78. From this we can easily conclude why Christ had to
die and rise again in order to rule spiritually to all eternity.
For though the passage here proves that he had to become
a true natural man, it yet follows that he had to change this
bodily life into a spiritual invisible life, as it was impossible
for him to rule bodily as widely and as long as the prophet
indicates.
79. Micah continues and says: "Therefore will he give
them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought
forth: then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the
children of Israel. And he shall stand and shall feed his flock
in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the
Lord his God : and they shall abide ; for now shall he be great
unto the ends of the earth."
From these words it is clear that Christ's kingdom should
be extended to the ends of the earth by preaching and suffer-
ing, of which the prophet says that in the majesty of the name
of Jehovah he would preach and feed his flock, showing also
that he would be persecuted on account of his preaching.
Therefore the prophet also says that they should be given
a respite as to their temporal existence and government until
a new people had been born. The woman in travail represents
the little flock of the apostles which during the sufferings of
Christ was in the agony of the birth of a new spiritual people
for this ruler of Israel, as Christ himself foretells, John 16,2.
''Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of
them exactly what time the star appeared. And he sent them to
Bethlehem and said. Go and search out exactly concerning
the young child; and tvhen ye have found him, bring me tvord,
that I also may come and zuorship him."
80. From this text we learn that the wise men were not
kings nor princes, but common, honest people, like the learned
and the clergy. Herod does not treat them as belonging to
royalty, but sends them to Bethlehem, tells them to attend to
S56 luther's church postil.
their mission, and, as if they were his subjects, commands
them to bring him word again. He would not have done this
if they had been kings or lords ; he would have invited them to
his palace, accompanied them on their journey, and treated
them with great honor. For all historians agree that Herod
was a pompous man, who knew how to treat people royally
after the way of the world, and wished to be admired by the
people. As, however, he calls the men privily and without
display and parade they must have been of much lower rank
than he was.
81. But why does he call them privately, since the land was
his and in his full control ? He did it for this reason. He knew
quite well that the Jews were his sworn enemies and wished to
be rid of him. He was afraid, therefore, that if he called the
men publicly and the Jews became aware of it, they would go
to the wnse men and enjoin them not to acquaint Herod with
the true state of affairs, so that the new king may live before
his eyes.
82. When he asks them about the time of the star he does
it out of the same anxiety. He was already resolved in his
heart to slay the innocent children. He reasoned thus : If the
new king is born the Jews will rejoice, and will secrete him
for a while until he is grown up, and then will espouse .his
cause, put horn on the throne and banish me. I must fore-
stall them, therefore, and carefully inquire into the time of his
birth ; and although he is hidden from me I shall still find
him amongst the people when I slay all the children, and
their disguise will avail them nothing. He pursues this plan
diligently so that the new king might be made known to him,
commands the wise men to bring him word again, and puts on
a pious and devout face as if he wished to worship the child
also.
83. Humanly speaking, he acted wisely enough in his pur-
pose of slaying Christ. But it is true what Solomon says, Prov.
21,30: "There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel
against Jehovah." And Psalm 33,10: ''Jehovah bringeth the
counsel of the nations to naught; he maketh the thoughts of
the people to be of none effect." And Psalm 37, 32-33 : *'The
KPIPHANY. 357
wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him. Je-
hovah will not leave him in his hand." Herod is here compelled
to fulfil such passages against his will, and be an illustration
of the same for our own comfort, in order that we might be
free and secure and need fear none but God alone. If he is
with us neither guile nor force can harm us.
Ill HOW THE WISE MEN CONTINUE THEIR JOUR-
NEY, FIND CHRIST AND WORSHIP HIM.
"And they having heard the king, zvent their way; and lo,
the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it
came and stood over where the young child zvas. And zvhen
they sazv the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."
84. It is not said here that they promised the king to
1-eturn, but that they heard his request to bring him word again.
Yet it appears from the warning they received in a dream that,
in the simplicity of their hearts, they were willing to return
to Herod, not knowing his depravity nor his purpose and think-
ing him to be an artless honest man. We learn from this that
the children of God may be so misled by the pleasing manners
and false pretensions of unbelieving saints that they take that
to be good which is not. But they do not always remain
in deception, for they are directed and delivered, if need be,
from heaven. Their hearing of the king, as mentioned by the
Evangelist, may also be understood to mean that they listened
to the words of the prophet, that in Bethlehem was to be born
the new king for whom they inquired, and who was the object
of their search.
85. This is an illustration of how the enemies of Christ may
at times be of service and teach others rightly, as Caiaphas
teaches, John 11, 50, that it was expedient that one man should
die for the people, and as Balaam, Num. 24, utters many
beautiful words concerning Christ, although they do it some-
times unintentionally and in ignorance. So Christ instructs
the people. Math. 23, 2-3, they should listen to the scribes and
Pharisees and follow them when they sit in Moses' seat; but
forbids them to do after their works. These wise men were
right, therefore, and give us a good example by listening to
358 LUTHßR's CHURCH POSTIL.
Herod, not for Herod's sake, neither as said by him, but for
the sake of the Scriptures, which he taught them; and they
followed this and not Herod's works. From this is derived the
good rule that we should hear the evil bishops and priests,
as well as the good ones, and should follow, not their lives, but
their teachings, provided their teaching is Scripture and not
idle talk. For, as we are to listen to the teachings of Holy
Writ, even when spoken by Herod, though he also commit
murder, so we are not to listen to human doctrine, even if
spoken by St. Peter, Paul, or an angel, and accompanied by
many wondrous signs.
86. It was said above that the saints often err and give
offense by human doctrines and works. It is God's will, there-
fore, that we shall not be guided by their examples, but by
his Word. For this reason he permits the saints often to deliver
human doctrine and works. Again, he disposes that the impious
sometimes teach the clear and plain Scriptures, in order to
guard us against offenses, on the one hand, and from the
wicked life of the ungodly, on the other hand from the shining
deeds of the saints. For, if you do not follow the Scriptures
alone, the lives of the saints are ten times more dangerous and
offensive than those of the ungodly. These commit gross sins,
which are easily recognized and avoided, but the saints exhibit
a subtle, pleasing appearance in human doctrines, which might
deceive the very elect, as Christ says, Math. 24, 24.
87. But now such offense of the saints is directly against
the articles of faith and its doctrine ; gross sins, however, do not
oppose faith and doctrine. If they desert it they do not rail
against it, while human doctrine is nothing but rebellion against
faith and its doctrine, for it makes men rely upon themselves
and upon their works. From this Christ rescues his saints in
the midst of human doctrine and work, just as he preserved
the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan. 3) at
Babylonia, in the midst of the fiery furnace. Hence the
lives of the saints are not to be followed as an example in this
but are rather to be avoided, like miracles which are only to
be admired and praised. For he does not desire to do wonders
to everyone in the fiery furnace, neither does he wish to make
EPIPHANY. 851)
everyone a Bernhard, Francis, Gregory, Benedict or Augus-
tine.
88. This was the Evangelist's intention when he omitted
Herod's name, saying, they heard the king. He calls him by
the name of his office and dignity, just as John 11,51, says
that Caiaphas uttered his prophesies, not because his name was
Caiaphas, but because he was high priest. The offices of king
and priest are good and by divine institution, although wicked
people make evil use of them, as gold and silver and all crea-
tures are good, and yet may be put to good or evil use.
God uses Herod when he may be used to advantage as
God's creature, and offers him to the wise men for their service.
Hence they did not look upon or listen to Herod but to the
king. It did not concern them that he was wicked within
himself, — they took hold of what was good in him, as the bee
sucks the honey from the flower and leaves the poison to the
spider. They listened to him when he told them to go to
Bethlehem and search diligently for the child, as the prophet
had foretold; which intelligence he had not from himself but
from the priests. They could not, Iwwever, know his wicked
counsel and purpose, nor his evil life. Thus we are to learn to
hate the vices of men, but love the men ; we are to distinguish
the honey from the poison.
89. It is also indicated here that this star was not high
in the heavens like the other stars, but hung above them in the
air; otherwise it would have been impossible for them to
discover whether it stood over Jerusalem or over Bethlehem.
For, according to astronomy and experience, it cannot be dis-
cerned on accotmt of their height over the town the stars
of heaven really are suspended, since two cities, ten or more
miles apart, both think the star above them. Again, you cannot
perceive their movement with the eye, although they move
more swiftly than time or lightning. This star, however, tliev
did not see move swiftly but glide slowly before them according-
to the speed of their journey. A star in heaven moves farther
in one movent than ten journeys from Jerusalem to Bethlehem,
for they move once around earth and heaven every day and
night. Besides, all stars move from east to west.
:iGO Luther's church postil.
90. But this star accompanying them from Jerusalem to
Bethlehem, traveled from north to south. This was proof that
it was of another kind, its course and place in the sky different
from the other stars in the heavens. It was not a fixed star, as
astronomers call themi, but rather a movable star that could
rise and descend and move from one place to another. With
this those astronomers are again silenced who say that the star
had no special significance in Christ's birth or life. It was
probably not as large as the stars in the heavens, although
it appeared larger on account of its nearness. In short, it was
a servant of Christ and had no power or authority over Christ's
birth.
91. It seems strange, however, that the star reappears to
them now when they do not need it any more, when they know
the town of Christ's birth, while it was hidden before, when
they needed it and knew not the town. But this was done to
strengthen their faith, as the law of Moses says, that in the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
The wise men first heard the word of the prophet in Jerusalem,
as a witness of Christ's birth ; with this the second witness, the
star, agrees and announces the same birth, so that they may be
sure of their ground. The prophet speaks only of the Child
at Bethlehem ; in like manner the star does not go any further
than where the child is, to Bethlehem, and remains over him.
And they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
''And they came into the house and saw the young child
with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped
him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts
of gold and frankincense and myrrh/'
92. It was diligently prevented that the wise men should
find Christ through themselves, or men. On the contrary, they
found him alone through the Scriptures of the prophet and by
the aid of the stars of heaven that there might be put to
naught all natural ability, all human reason, all light outside
of the spirit and of grace, which now boasts and pretends to
teach the truth and lead people aright, as was said above is
done in the universities. Here it is concluded that Christ, the
knowledge of salvation, is not taught or acquired by human
J^PIPHANY. ^(yi
teaching or assistance, but the Scriptures and divine Hght must
reveal him. as he says, Math. 16, 17 : "Blessed art thou, Simon
Bar- Jonall : for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,
but my Father who is in heaven." With this Christ distinctly
casts aside flesh and blood with its revelation, i. e., man and all
human wisdom, which, being nothing but darkness, cannot
reveal Christ.
Christ says, John 6, 44 : "No man can come to me, except
the Father that hath sent me draw him." By this all boasting
of human reason is condemned, since it cannot giiide aright
and all who follow it must go astray. So strongly does God
everywhere resist our natural haughtiness and will, that we may
know we are blind, despair of our own light, put ourselves
into his hands and be led by him into the ways which reason
cannot know nor follow.
Of The Faith Of The Wise Men.
93. The wise men here teach us the true faith. After they
heard the sermon and the word of the prophet they were not
slow to believe, in spite of obstacles and difficulties. First they
came to Jerusalem, the capital, and did not find him, the star
also disappearing. Do you not think they would have said
within themselves, if they had followed human reason alone :
Alas, we have traveled so far in vain, the star has misled us,
it was a phantom. If a king were born he should of course be
found in the capital and lie in the royal chamber. But when
we arrived the star disappeared and no one knew anything
about him. We strangers are the first to speak of him in his
own country and royal city ! Indeed, it must be all false !
94. Besides, his own people are troubled and do not care
to hear of him, and direct us from the royal city to a little
village. Who knows what we shall find? The people act so
coldly and strangely, no one accompanies us to show us the
child; they do not believe themselves that a king is born to
them, and we come from afar and expect to find him. O how
odd and unusual everything appears at the birth of a king!
If a young pup were born, there would be a little noise. A
king is born here, and there is no stir. Should not the people
36^ luthkr's church postiu
sing and dance, light candles and torches and pave the streets
with branches and roses? O the poor king whom we seek!
Fools we are to permit ourselves to be deceived so shamefully.
95. Having been flesh and blood, doubtless they were not
free from such thoughts and views, and they had to battle
for their faith. Natural reason could here not have held its
own; if they had not found the king as they had expected,
they would have murmured and complained and said : The
devil must have led us here. A king cannot have been born
since everything is so quiet and nothing is going on. There is
more noise when a child is born to our shepherd, and a calving
cow is more talked about than this king.
96. Reason and nature never proceed any farther than they
can see and feel. When they cease to feel they at once deny
God's existence and say as Ps. 14, 1 says. ''There is no God,"
therefore the devil must be here. This is the light of the uni-
versities which is to lead men to God, but rather leads to the
abyss of hell. The light of nature and the light of grace cannot
be friends. Nature wants to feel and be certain before she
believes, grace believes before she perceives. For this reason,
nature does not go further than her own light. Grace joyfully
steps out into the darkness, follows the mere word of Scripture,
no matter how it appears. Whether nature holds it true or
false, she clings to the Word.
97. For the sake of this very strife and struggle, by which
the wise men accepted the word of the prophet and followed
it into such wild, unnatural appearance of a royal birth, God
comforted and strengthened them by this star which went
before them more friendly than before. Now they see it near,
it is their guide, and they have an assurance which needs no
further question. Before it was far from them, and they were
not certain where they would find the king.
98. So it is always with the Christian, after affliction has
been endured God becomes more dear to him and is so near and
so distinctly seen that man not only forgets anxiety and afflic-
tion, but has a desire for greater affliction. He gradually be-
comes so strong that he does not take offense at the insignifi-
cant, unattractive life of Christ. For now he experiences and
EPIPHANY. 368
realizes that to find Christ it must appear as though he found
nothing but disgrace.
99. Even so the wise men must have been ashamed of them-
selves if they had doubted and had said, as perhaps they did
say secretly in their hearts : We were so successful, let us travel
a little farther on and seek new kings.
I call this buffoonery, as Dame Gay, i. e. nature, conducts
herself in the presence of divine words and works. For from
the fact that the wise men were so much rejoiced when they
saw the star we can infer that they were in such temptation and
were heavyminded when everything appeared so inconsistent.
Their joy indicates that they were perhaps despondent and
tempted with unbelief. There was cause enough if you look
at nature alone. Hence Christ says, Math. 11,6: "Blessed is he
whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me." Blessed
indeed, but how difiicult since appearances were against Christ's
presence.
100. When the wise men had overcome their temptation
and were born again by the great joy they were strong and took
no offense at Christ, they had overcome in the trial. For
although they enter a lowly hut and find a poor young wife with
a poor little child, and find less of royal appearance than the
homes of their own servants presented, they are not led astray.
But in a great, strong, living faith they remove from their eyes
and their minds whatever might attract and influence human
nature with its pretense, follow the word of the prophet and
the sign of the star in all simplicity, treat the child as a king,
fall down before him, worship him, and offer gifts. This
was a strong faith indeed, for it casts aside many things w^hich
impress human nature. Perhaps there were some people pres-
ent who thought : \Miat great fools are these men to worship
such a poor child. They must indeed be in a trance to make
of him a king.
101. This is the kernel of the Gospel, in which the nature
and character of faith is explained as an assurance of things
not seen. It clings alone to the words of God and follows the
things that are not seen, as alone conveyed in the word of God,
and looks askance at many things which urge it to disbelieve
:jG i luthe:r's church posxil.
the Word. What nature calls playing the fool faith calls the
true way. Nature may be wise and clever, faith remains
nature's fool and idiot, and thus comes to Christ and finds
him. St. Paul's words, 1 Cor. 1 , 25 apply here : *'The foolish-
ness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is
stronger than men." For feeling and believing do not get to-
gether.
102. When they give three presents and worship him it
does not imply that each gave a separate gift, but, as mentioned
above, it was a common gift of the goods of their country,
with which they honored him as a king. Nor was the worship
like that due to God, for, in my opinion, they did not yet
recognize him as God, but after the usags of the Scriptures,
kings and dignitaries were worshipped, i. e. honored and re-
spected, by the bending of the knee as we do today.
103. What conversation they had with Mary and Joseph
I leave to the imagination of idle minds. The languages in the
orient are not so foreign to the Hebrew, so that they may
easily have understood each other. They had spoken with
Herod and the priests and the citizens of Jerusalem, hence they
no doubt spoke with Mary and Joseph. If they had a different
language, the Jews still had such business connections and were
so well known at the Red Sea that in both countries both
languages were no doubt known, as in German lands you find
French and in France German. The Red Sea country is on
one side exclusively Arabic, and from there the wise men
came.
IV. HOW THE WISE MEN BY THE COMMAND OF
GOD RETURNED TO THEIR FATHERLAND.
"And being warned of God in a dream that they shoidd not
return to Herod they departed into their ozun country another
zvay."
104. Here it appears that those who believe in God enjoy
his special protection. He has an eye upon these wise men so
that he keeps watch over their return and directs them in a
dream.
105. And whv does he not allow them to return to Herod
KPIPHANY. 365
since he could have shielded the child from all the world even
if Herod had known and found him ? It is done for the purpose
of teaching us not to tempt God. Whatever can be accom-
plished by ordinary means should be done. We should not
presume upon faith and say in idleness : I trust in God every-
thing w411 grow that is to grow. His creatures have no purpose
if we make use of them. In Gen. 1 he created and ordained all
creatures with their works, and indicated the use man shall
make of them. This will he never recall and ordain something-
special for you.
106. Here the question arises : How can I strike the golden
mean to believe and yet not tempt God, for you preach and
praise faith alone and can not extol it enough ? Answer : You
should not believe save where you have a word of God. It is
the character and natiu-e of faith to be built and to rely on the
Word of God. Where there is no Word of God there cannot
and shall not be any faith. Is this not stated clearly and posi-
tively enough ? Hence the W^ord of God is called in Scripture :
testament, testimonia, pacta, foedera, testimonies, agreements,
covenants, as these postulate faith ; nor did God ever command
us to believe any of his works without his Word.
107. Again, he has confirmed his works and wonders, as
Christ says, John 10, 38 : "Though ye believe not me believe
the works." If you have not God's Word you should continue
to make use of your power, of your goods, of your friends, and
of all that God has given you, and thus abide in the dispensa-
tion, established by God, Gen. 1. For he did not give it to you
in vain, he will not, for your sake, turn water into wine or stone
into bread, but you should use according to his order whatever
he has created until he forces you by word or work to use it
differently.
108. But when the hour comes that the creature cannot
help you any more and all your strength fails, behold then
God's Word begins. For then he has commanded us to acknow-
ledge him as God, i. e. expect everything that is good from him.
This word, thoug-h in force all the time, will yet be only under-
stood and made use of in need, when nothing else avails. Of this
he speaks, Ps. 50, 15 : *'Call upon me in the day of trouble : I will
366 * Luther's church postil.
deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." From this it is clea,r
that we cannct make trial of God in need, for all his words
and promises point to the time of trouble, when no one but he
is able to help. Hence we read. Math. 4, 7, that when the devil
tempted Christ to cast himself down from the temple, Christ
said, no, for It is written: ''Thou shalt not make trial of the
Lord thy God," as if to say : I can go down by the steps, it is
not necessary to do signs and wonders.
Again we read in the legends of the fathers that two
brothers journeyed and one of them died of hunger for God's
sake ; that is, he went to hell ; for they came amongst wicked
people, who offered them something to eat, and the one said,
he would not take bread from these people, but expect his
food from heaven. The other took and ate and lived. That
fool did nothing else but set aside God's order and tempted
him. However sinful people may be thev are still God's crea-
tures as well as thorns and thistles. You make use of a thorn
to open a boil or for some other purpose; will you look con-
temptuously upon it, because it is a prickly brush? Thus we
read that Abraham and Isaac gave up their own wives and
had them taken from them in order not to tempt God. There-
fore God preserved them so that no harm was done to them
or to their wives, while great kings were punished. From thia
it is clear that to tempt God is mere wickedness and frivolity
except in time of trouble.
109. There is another temptation also in the time of trouble
which was punished severely among the people of Israel and
which alas is common as compared to the other temptation and
equally irrational. That temptation occurs before God's Word
is heard ; this after we hear the Word, namely thus : when we
know that God has promised help in the time of any trouble,
but are not content with it, go forward and will not abide his
promise, but prescribe time, place, and manner for his help;
and then if he does not come as we expect and desire, faith
vanishes. There faith is too long, here it is too short ; there it
is too early, here it is too late. In both cases men fall from the
Word. Those have faith without Word, these have Word with-
out faith, both of whicn are of no avail. Middle ground is
EPIPHANY. 867
blessed, both Word and faith united in one, äs God and man are
one in Christ.
110. He who holds fast to the Word alone, trusts and
abides in it, does not doubt that what the Word says will come
to pass ; he who does not dictate aim or time or means and ways,
but resigns all freely to God's will and pleasure as to when,
how, where, and by whom he will fulfil his Word; he, I say,
has a true living faith which does not nor can not tempt God.
111. Learn then what it means to tempt God; it is easily
understood; it is a deficiency of true faith. To faith belongs
above all the Word of God, as the foundation and rock of
faith.
Hence to tempt God is nothing else than to deal with him
aside from his Word, i. e. to believe when he did not command
fai'th and gave us no Word, or to disbelieve when he bids believe
and gives us his Word. He did not give orders to believe that he
would feed you when you have food before you or can find it
without a miracle. But where you cannot find it, he has com-
manded that you firmly believe he will not forsake you. But you
should not set time or measure for him, for he deserves to be
free, which is becoming, and will not forsake you, which is
divine ; what more could you desire ?
112. Such was the lot of Christ. God could have rescued
him from the power of Herod. But since without apparent
necessity of a miracle all could be adjusted, he used for our
example ordinary means, and led the wise men into their own
country by another way. It would have required an unneces-
sary exhibition of miracles if they had returned to Herod and
made known the house wherein the child was to be found.
But even this has its meaning, as we shall see later.
n. THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS
GOSPEL.
113. Christ's natural birth always signifies his spiritual
birth, since he is born in us and we in him, as St. Paul says
in Gal. 4, 19 : "My little children, of whoiii I am again in travail
until Christ be formed in you." Now in order to complete this
birth God's Word and faith are necessary, because only through
368 LUTHER S CHURCH POSTIL.
these can Christ's spiritual birth be wrought in us. Therefore
this Gospel signifies spiritually nothing more than the nature
of the divine Word and of faith ; also, how they fare who are
born spiritually ; what temptations and conflicts faith must en-
counter.
114. First: God used the circumstance that Herod, a
stranger, reigned over his people to signify thereby the kind
of reign existing within the soul. They had rejected God, so
that he could no more govern them by faith. The Jews had
become nothing but a Pharisaical, Sadusaical, hypocritical and
selfish people, who wanted to save themselves by human doc-
trines and outward works. They have no faith, w^hich the entire
Gospel and the life of Christ prove. As they, unbelieving in
spirit, made for themselves a Herod in the place of Christ:
they had to submit bodily and spiritually to a Herod instead
of one who descended from the royal line of David, and
therefore in both relations there was purely a kingdom of
Herod. In the Greek language we are accustomed to call
those who are noted for great clamor and deeds heroes, as
were Hercules, Hector, Achilles, and the like, who in German
are called giants» but in Saxon a fellozi* (Kerl), hence the
name Carolus or Carl means among us what hero or Herod
does in Greek. Herod comes from hero, because he w^as like
a fellow, like a giant, a boaster, a Dieterich from Bern, a
Hildebrand, a Roland, or by whatever other name you may
call these great murderers and devourers of the people, who
were also before the flood and whom Moses calls in Hebrew
Ni'phlim (giants). Gen. 6, 4, which means that the people who
fall upon others and with force suppress them will themselves
fall. The people of Israel destroyed many of them in the land
of Canaan, as the Anakims, Raphaims and Emims. Anak is
called a golden chain; hence the Anakims (Deut. 2, 11) were
called giants in the land and wore golden chains. The Rephaims
were called rescuers, because they rescued the land and the
people. The Emims were called terrible and frightful because
the people were afraid of them.
115. Thus there always have been Herods, only in a
(Hfferent way and under other names; and thus th^re always
EPIPHANY. 369
will be Herods until the day of judgment, whom Christ at
his coming will destroy. They are now called pope, cardinal,
bishop, priest, monks, spiritual lords and holy fathers, who are
very unjustly called shepherds and sheep of Christ, but who
are in reality ravenous wolves that flay and devour Christ's
people in body, soul and property. They are in these last days
the mighty fellows, giants, devourers of the people and Herods,
whom none but Christ from heaven can destroy.
116. Now Christ and Herod are entirely different and
diametrically opposed one to the other. Christ's merit consists
not in a great clamor and in pretensions deeds. With him there
are no doings such as the giants and the fellows boast of, but
only pure humanity that thinks not of self, is despised and
content to let God be all in all and to do all and also to give
him all the glory. Herod's ambition is to do great things, to
possess every ability, to make a loud clamor, to be everything
and to lack nothing.
117. Since the Jews were inwardly veritable Herods, boast-
ing much of themselves and of their deeds, commanding great
respect on account of their ostentatious lives, Christ's humble
demeanor amounted to nothing with them ; therefore God sent
them a king, Herod, who dealt with them in temporal things
as they dealt with souls in spiritual things. They rejected
Christ and God; therefore he rejected their royal family.
Since he could not reign in their souls, he did not allow their
own flesh and blood to reign over their bodies and property;
and as they destroyed and suppressed the people spiritually
with their government and with human doctrines, therefore he
permitted them to be destroyed, suppressed and tormented
through Herod. The physical Herod was a chastisement and
a sign of their spiritual Herod.
118. As in all sin, one "feels and hates the punishment, but
loves the sin without being conscious of it ; so it was with the
Jews. They indeed felt the physical Herod and hated him, but
the spiritual Herod, their unbelief, spiritual tyranny, they con-
sidered excellent, arrogantly claiming, through their Pharisa-
ical, sectarian conduct in human doctrines and works of the
law, to have earned much before God, and they could not dis-
370 LUTHERS CHURCH POSTIL.
cern that they had thereby earned the kingdom of Herod, from
which they were not able to free themselves however much
they desired it, and they considered themselves worthy on
account of their spiritual and holy conduct.
119. Thus we now also keenly feel our Herod, who is
flaying and devouring us in body and estate ; and since we are
not sincere Christians and do not permit Christ to be our
king in a pure and free faith, but are satisfied with the spiritual
affairs now existing and with our own works, we are unable
to rid "ourselves of this Herod and there is no hope of relief.
We must suffer ourselves to be devoured and ruined, there
is no help, he must be our bodily and spiritual Herod.
120. Let this be an established truth, that in the first place
Herod signifies a kingdom ; not simply a kingdom such as
worldly lords rule, but a spiritual kingdom. Therefore the
kingdom does not include only the temporal possessions of
people but also their spiritual possessions ; that is, their con-
sciences and the affairs belonging to salvation, such as good
works, a pious life, the sacraments and the Word of God.
121. Furthermore, this spiritual kingdom may be governed
in a twofold manner : first, in a blessed way, when Christ alone
governs in the true faith and the pure Gospel; secondly, in a
pernicious way, when man governs with works and human
doctrines. Just as the people of Israel were governed at one
time by one of their own kindred, by their own king, and then
again by Herod, a foreign king. Therefore Herod signifies
nothing else than such a spiritual kingdom, in which people
are governed, not through faith and the Gospel, but through
works and doctrines of men. It has the name, indeed, and the
appearance of being the true way to heaven and of teaching
the people right, but in reality it is nothing else than the broad
road to hell. The sum of it all is that Herod is the pope with
his spiritual kingdom. There we see no faith, no Gospel, but
simply human doctrines and works, and he has an enormous
Herod-like power and makes a loud clamor in the world. The
consciences of men should be guided, fed and preserved
through God's Word alone, but he leads and feeds them only
with his own swivel and slabber, with indulgences, orders,
KPIPHANY. 371
masses, prayers, fasts and the like, and in this respect is a
mighty giant, a Roland and a fellow, a Kerl.
122. They say that if the Christian church were not sus-
tained by the state she would founder, when the truth is that
faith in Christ alone should govern her. Hence it is in this
respect as the peasants say: Kuntz Hildebrand, the great
whale, carries the world on his tail ; that is, if it were not
for what the pope did with his kingdom, God would be entirely
too weak, the apple of the world would certainly fall out of
his hand and neither faith nor Gospel could avail anything.
But now since the pope comes to his assistance and lays the
foundation for him with his many tonsures, caps, robes, wooden
shoes, bishop and cardinal hats, organ peals and smoke of
incense, sounding of bells and candle-snuffing, bawling in the
church and turkeys in their bellies, particularly in those who
fast, eating neither milk, eggs nor meat and the like, in which
the pope's holiness consists, every thing will be sustained.
And if the pope were in favor of doing away with such
spiritual, orderly, holy government, where would the world
be? Here we have what Herod and Christ are, two spiritual
kingdoms, one unbelieving and the other believing.
123. Now, what is the "star"? It is nothing else than the
new light, the oral and pubhc preaching of the Gospel. Christ
has two witnesses of his birth and kingdom ; the one is the
Scripture, the written Word; the other is the voice or the
word preached orally. The same word Paul calls in 2 Cor. 4, 6,
and Peter in 2 Pet. 1,19, a light and lamp.
124. The Scriptures are not understood until the light is
risen, for through the Gospel the prophets arose ; therefore
the star must first arise and shine. In the New Testament ser-
mons must be preached orally, with living voices publicly, and
that which formerly lay concealed in the letter and secret
vision must be proclaimed in language to the ear. Since the
New Testament is nothing else than a resurrection and revela-
tion of the Old Testament, as Rev. 5, 9 testifies, where the
Lamb of God opens the Book with its seven seals. We further-
more see that all the preaching of the apostles was nothing
else than a presentation of the Scriptures upon which they
372 lüThkr's church postil.
built. Christ did not write his doctrines himself as Moses did,
but he gave them orally, and commanded that they should be
published abroad by preaching, and he did not command that
they should be written. Likewise the Apostles wrote very little,
except Peter, Paul, John, Matthew and a few others ; from the
rest we have nothing, for many do not consider the epistles
of James and Jude apostolic writings. Those who have written
do nothing more than direct us to the Scriptures of the Old
Testament, just as the angel directed the shepherds to the
manger and the swaddling clothes and the star led the wise
men to Bethlehem.
125. Nor do we need any more New Testament books con-
cerning Christian doctrine, but we need good, learned, spiritual,
faithful preachers in every locality who without books can
draw forth the living Word from the old Scriptures and make
it plain and simple to the people, just as the apostles did ; for
previous to their writing they preached and conferred with
the people by word of mouth, which was strictly the apostolic
and New Testament mode of evangelical work. This is also
the right star, testifying of Christ's birth and the angelic
message concerning the swaddling clothes and the manger.
126. That there was a necessity of writing books was in
itself a great detriment and denotes an infirmity of the human
spirit and does not arise cut of the nature of the New Testa-
ment. For instead of pious preachers there came heretics,
false teachers and all kinds of errorists giving the sheep of
Christ poison in the place of pasture. Hence in order to rescue
at least some of the sheep from the wolves it was necessary
to write books in harmony with the Scriptures, so that as much
as possible the lambs of Christ might be fed and the Scrip-
tures preserved in their purity, thereby enabling the sheep to
protect themselves against the wolves and to be their own
guides when their false shepherds would not lead them into the
green pastures.
127. Luke says in his preface, Luke 1,1, that he vv^as in-
lluenced to write his Gospel by the fact that some had under-
taken to write the history of Christ in whose reliableness he
did not have full confidence. It was the object of all the epistles
EPIPHANY. 373
of Paul to guard and foster what he had taught before, doubt-
ing not that he had preached much more abundantly than he
wrote. If wishing did any good, one could wish nothing better
than that all books were simply destroyed and that nothing
remained in the world except that wliich Christians formerly
had, namely, the pure Scriptures alone or the Bible. It con-
tains more than is necessary of all kinds of art and doctrine
which man ought to know, but wishing is now to no purpose;
would to God there were only good books besides the Bible.
128. Let it suffice for the present that this star is the visible
sermon and the bright revelation of Christ as he is concealed
and foreshadowed in the promises of the Scriptures. Therefore,
whoever sees the star certainly recognizes the king of the
Jews, the newly-born Christ. For the Gospel teaches nothing
else but Christ and therefore the Scripture contains nothing
else than Christ. But he who does not recognize Christ may
hear the Gospel, or indeed carry the book in his hands, but he
has not yet its real meaning. To have the Gospel without its
meaning is to have no Gospel ; and to have the Scripture with-
out recognizing Christ means to have no Scripture and is
nothing else than to let this star shine and yet not see it.
129. Therefore the Herodites and the people of Jerusalem
fare thus : the star rises over their land and over their heads,
but they do not see it. Hence, when the Gospel arose over the
Jewish people, as Isaiah says in the Epistle, Rom. 10, 21, they
let it shine but did not acknowledge it. Of this Paul writes, 2
Cor. 4, 3, 4, ''And even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled in
them that perish : in whom the god of this world," that is, the
devil, "hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light
of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,
should not dawn upon them." From this it is evident, that
unbelief alone is the cause of blindness, on account of which
they do not see the Gospel although it shines and is preached
without «ceasing. That it is impossible for Christ and his Gos-
pel to be acknowledged by reason, but by faith alone, is here
plainly taught. And the seeing of the star signifies this indi-
vidual star.
374 Luther's church posth..
130. The wise men signify, and are themselves the first fruit
of heathendom converted unto faith through the Gospel. For
the heathen were the wise men, that is, people of nature, living
according to their reason, who did not have the law and the
prophets, as the Jews, but walked only according to nature,
without the divine law and the Word. Now, as the natural
masters, the wise men, generally deviated from the line of right,
and converted the natural art into witchcraft and sorcery, as
stated above, so the natural reason when left to itself, and not
assisted by the doctrines of God, most certainly will go astray,
and will loose itself in error and blindnes, as a veritable witch,
full of all manner of unbelief.
131. Thus Paul writes, Rom. 2, 14, that the heathen, al-
though the law of God had not been given to them, neverthe-
less had a natural law of conscience and performed the works
of the law, which they found written in their hearts. But
though they were far from the truth, and were without the law
of God, they were brought to faith much more easily and much
sooner than the Jews, for the reason, that the Jews, having the
law depended upon it, and thought they had sufficiently satis-
fied it by their works. Therefore they despised the Gospel as
something entirely superfluous and false, because it rejected
works, concerning which they boasted so much, and lauded
faith alone. The heathen had no ground for such vain boasting,
because they were without the law; hence they more easily
yielded to the Gospel, acknowledged its necessity, and their
need of it.
132. That the wise men came to Jerusalem and inquired
after the new born king signifies nothing else than that the
heathen were enlightened through the Gospel, came Into the
Christian church and sought Christ. For Jerusalem is a figure
of the Christian church, into which God's people are gather-
ed, which in German may be called, vision of peace, because in
the Christian church peace is seen, that is, when all have a
good conscience, and peaceful confidence of heart, who, being
in the Christian church and being true Christians, have for-
giveness of sins through the grace of God.
133. Now in this peaceful place, Herod the devourer of
KPIPHANY. .^75
men, would reign at all times ; for all the doctrines and works
of men, have in them this vexatious evil, that they in their very
nature mislead, oppress, and destroy the true Jerusalem, en-
snaring good consciences and pious hearts, teaching them
to trust in themselves and in their good works, thereby causing
faith to perish, peace and a good conscience to be destroyed,
while the rule of Herod with its great show and clamor and
faithless works, alone remains. This is what our Gospel
wishes to say, that thus Christ was born and sought after at
the time of Herod, in "the very city of his kingdom. For evan-
gelical truth wages its whole warefare with the false holiness
of Herod, and every time it renews the strife it finds Herods,
who rule the people with their doctrines and human works, and
these things are so for no other reason than that the truth con-
demns these doings of theirs and teaches the pure grace of God
instead of works and pure faith instead of law, in order to
rescue the people of God from the reign of Herod, and save
them for the true Jerusalem.
134. When Herod heard this he was troubled and all Jeru-
salem with him. Why? Because Herod was afraid of another
king, the true king, for he himself, with force wanted to be the
only king. It came to pass, that through the Gospel the heathen
began to praise Christ and to have faith, contrary to the works
and doctrines of men; thereupon the Jews became enraged,
because they could easily perceive that if this matter should
grow and spread, their affairs would soon be considered worth-
less, and their great and false doings would surely be brought
to shame. This they could not endure, and therefore they be-
gan to rage, as is shown by the history of the apostles. For
they knew very wxU that the progress of the Gospel, their
government, honor, power and riches, which they had in such
abundance under the spiritual reign of Herod, would receive a
powerful blow.
135. Human works and doctrines at all times yield much
revenue and carnal gain, while the doctrines of God and the
work of Christ bring the cross, poverty, ignomy, and all kinds
of calamity, which the holiness of Herod can not endure. Thus
it happens always, that they who have ensnared and oppressed
876 Luther's church fostil.
the poor with an erring conscience and with human doctrines,
do not Hke to hear that poor, miserable consciences receive
instruction, atain a right understanding, and seek the simple,
pure Word of God and faith. J\Iany say that they want a new
king, and have seen his star ; for thus the pope, bishops, holy
fathers and lords could not hidulge their car nal desires.
136. Therefore, it is not at all agreeable nor serviceable to
the reign of Herod that the wise men, the learned, the laity,
who know nothing, should begin to speak of the light of the
Gospel, and to inquire about another matter in the midst of
Jerusalem, paying no atention to spiritual pomp of the rulers.
This must indeed have frightened Herod and his associates
because it concerned their purses and their belly. Yes, it also
frightened all Jerusalem; for many pious people, though they
hated the reign of Herod and wished that it were not thus,
also were afraid that the truth might be brought to light at an
unpropiti'ous time, that through it a tumult and confusion might
be caused in the world, that the government might be attacked,
and that perhaps this tumult could not without great detriment,
be suppressed. Therefore they thought that it might be better
to withhold the truth for a time, or to bring it forth in such a
manner as not to frighten Herod, and arouse him to some des-
perate action.
137. But the wise men do not inquire after his fright and
anger, but speak openly of the star and the new king and are
not in the least concerned that the heavens might fall. For one
must neither confess nor deny the Gospel on account of any
particular person ; it is God's Word, Herod must yield to it and
follow it. Does he rage however? Then let him rage, Christ
must remain in preference to him.
138. And now behold ! Herod is foremost to learn of the
new king, not with sincerity but with deceit, and so he gathers
together all the learned men and diligently searches the Scrip-
ture, as though he were anxious to learn the truth, and yet we
know that it was his determination to accomplish his own will
and intention instead of obeying the Scripture. Here we arrive
at the real character of Herod ; here we see the pope and his
followers truly portrayed.
KPIPHANY. 377
139. But that no one may blame me for applying this to
the pope, and comparing his holy order and its reign so con-
temptuously with that of Herod. I want it understood that I
do it because it is my Christian duty and a debt of faithfulness
which I feel in my conscience that I owe every one. If the
truth and experience do not prove all that I say, then let any
one who will chastise me for lying; I will fulfil my fraternal
office satisfactorily and be excused before God. If any one de-
spises my faithful warning, let him answer for it himself, I
want to say to him, that Christ and his doctrine shall not suf-
fer on account of the pope and his spiritual rule. Therefore let
every one guard himself against them, as against his eternal
destruction, and adhere alone to Christ. Whether it brings the
pope and his divines any fortune or honor, does not concern
me in the least ; I must preach Christ and not the fortune and
honor of the pope and his divines. What is said of the pope
and his divines, is said of all those who oppress the people with
their works and doctrines, and do not teach the true faith,
the pure Scripture and the one Christ, as the Jews also did
but accomplished very little against the pope and his associates.
He who will suffer himself to be misled has herewith heard
my warning : I am innocent of his blood and ruin.
140. That Herod called the princes, priests and scribes of
the people together and inquired of them concerning the birth
of Christ, is the same as our spiritual kingdom, and is what the
unbelieving tinkers are doing; they keep the Scriptures to
themselves, and what they* teach is presumably contained in the
Scripture, but in this sense, that their own opinion comes
first, and the Scriptures must be twisted so as to agree with
their opinion. For their intention is to use the Scripture only
to this end, that it may suppress the truth and satisfy, their own
doings, just as Herod searched in the Scriptures for no other
purpose than that he might slay Christ.
141. Thus our Herod is doing, with his Herodites, the
people; he indeed searches the Scriptures and uses it, but he
explains it only in such a way that he may destroy its real
sense, and read into it his own sense. With such show even
the elect are deceived; for there is no greater show, which
878 luthkr's church posth,.
frightens and deceives every conscience, than that which sets
forth the name of God and claims only to search and follow
God's Scripture and Word, while at the same time it seeks
thereby only to oppose and to quell the Scriptures with all their
contents. Therefore the wise men do not see the star of Jeru-
salem, and do not know where they shall go. And all who
walk among such genteel and glittering folks will be deceived
and will lose the real Christian sense on account of the great
bustle and glittering exterior of unbelieving divines, unless
they grasp firmly the pure Scripture.
142. Although both Herod and the wise men received the
Scriptures here from the priest, Herod received them in
a false and vicious sense. The wise men received them in a
right and good sense ; therefore they see again the star shining,
and are rescued from Herod's hypocrisy under which they had
lost the star. As here the strife beween Herod and the wise men
is signified, so also is signified the strife between the true and
the false divines v.dio place themselves over the Scriptures, that
the true divines are indeed a trifle in error, and for a little while
lose the true light, but they do not continue in error. They
finally grasp the true sense of Scripture, come again to the clear
light, and let the Herods praise themselves in their false under-
standing of the Scripture.
143. Concerning this St. Paul writes, 2 Tim. 3, 1-9: "But
know this, that in the last days, grievous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful,
haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.
Without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-
control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headtsrong puffed
up, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God; holding a
form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof : from
these also turn away. For of these are they who creep into
houses, and take captive silly w^omen laden with sin, led away
by divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth. And even as Jannes and Jambres
withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth; men
corrupt in mind, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall
proceed no further for their folly shall be evident unto all men,
as theirs also came to be." etc.
EPIPHANY. B79
144. I think that here St. Paul has spoken freely, and
pointed out our spiritual lords, and Herod's holy domestics.
Indeed there is not a letter here, which cannot be seen by any
one publicly verified in the spiritual order. But they have a
petrified pate, and imagine that this does not speak of them-
selves at all ; and fancy that because the pope fortifies them with
parchment and pencil, they are greatly wronged if one under-
stands Paul's words to mean them. Therefore we must con-
sider this rich text of Paul's a little more closely so that we
may clearly see and recognize Herod. He says that in
the last times there should come people who had been running
for many years already, and who were dangerous, because on
account of such deceivers, few people would be saved, destroy-
ing the faith and slaying souls with their human doctrines and
individual nonsense.
145. The apostle would not be understood to mean the
common people, whom they now call wordlings or laymen, but
his words are clear and forcibly point to the tonsure crowned
and hooded people, the spiritual kingdom. For among others
of their noble virtues, he mentions very notably their chief
virtue, namely , that they affect the appearance of the Christian
life and of the service of God, but renounce the realtiy. Who
does not know who they are. Where is the spiritual life, God's
service, holy orders, except in their institutions and cloisters.
Likewise he says, ''They creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women," teaching them constantly, which is clearly said
of teachers and preachers, particularly of mendicant friars and
vagabonds. Likewise the statement that they withstand the
truth, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, signifies plainly
that he is speaking of those who preach and rule among tne
people. But let us give attention to another class.
146. First, they are the Philaiiti, who think much of them-
selves and are well pleased with themselves ; everything they
do is well done and right : they alone will get to heaven, and are
the only ones who have found the right way ; they alone are the
Christian church, and they are the only people who rule heaven
and earth. Compared with them, other people are poor sinners,
in a dangerous relation, and must buy from them intercessions,
380 LUTHl^R S CHURCH POSTIL.
good works and merit. Finally, they have accomplished so
much, that all other Christians are called worldlings, while
they are the divines. It cannot be expressed how this title
pleases them, how they think themselvs too good for other
relations, and how there are other people on earth to whom
the name Philauti can be given than to themselves. The apostle
has indeed hit them well; but above all, their chief lord, the
pope, who fairly stinks with self-esteem and self-complacency
in all the world, so that they must confess themselves how his
spiritual claims are nothing but Philautia, purely his own satis-
faction.
147. God help ! how much the abomination thinks of him-
self, how well his station pleases him, how insolently he dis-
tinguishes between himself and all other Christians, not only
in the temporal but also in spiritual things, doing no more than
tickling himself until he laughs himself nearly to death from
sheer wantonness, as everyone who sees his life, his kingdom,
his bulls, his laws and his doctrines must publicly confess. Such
poison others in their respective stations, draw from him, and
he helps them in it with liberties, protection, blessing and praise.
Afterward the laymen learn it also from them, each one in his
good little prayer and peculiar manner. In this way Christian
faith must perish, which has its pleasure and good intention in
Christ alone, all other affairs being indifferent to it. and it has
no preference among them.
148. Secondly, they are haughty. This follows from the
first, their own self-esteem, that they exalt themselves in their
hearts over all others, thinking themselves better than every-
body else. This you can abundantly see in the people and the
ministers ; how they, beyond measure ; shamelessly say and
boast of themselves, that the spiritual station is better than
the temporal, although Christians are in the latter ; but the fact
is that the Christian relation alone is good, which will either
not suffer such a distinction or it will perish. Yes, this spirit-
ual pride is the foundation upon which their entire kingdom
stands; for if it were not respectable and better, all its affairs
and government must be destroyed.
149. These two great, low and horrible vices are so artful
EPIPHANY. 881
and so entirely spiritual that they do not see a glimpse of
them ; yes, they hold them as the very truth and as established
righteousness. They go right on also in their satanical would-
be holy life, allowing themselves, in their frightful vices, to be
called and honored as holy, spiritual and blessed people.
150. Thirdly, they are arrogant. This follows from the
former, namely their liaughtiness. For haughtiness is not
satisfied with honoring one's self, but it breaks forth and soars
so high, esteems itself so highly, hovers entirely in the regions
above, sits on the very highest seat and acts outwardly accord-
ing to its internal sentiment. The difference between haughti-
ness and arrogance is that haughtiness possesses the heart,
while arrogance consists in the external lofty bearing and de-
meanor. Who cannot see this in the pope and the entire spirit-
ual order? Do they not veritably carry themselves above em-
perors, kings and princes, and everything both great and small
on earth ? They have set themselves over man's possessions,
and with free and malicious strength govern both body and
soul, as though they had the best right and cause. And if they
are told that Christ forbids such arrogance, when he says to
his disciples, Luke 22, 20, "But he that is fhe greater among
you let him become as the younger," and verse 25, "Ye shall
not have lordship over them as the kings of the Gentiles", they
wrest the entire force of the passage unto themselves by giving
an explanation, which no one except themselves can give, by
saying that Christ has thereby not forbidden the authority and
rulership over others, but that this refers to the intention of the
heart, namely that they are not to exalt and esteem themselves
better than others. For, say they, there can be a prelate, indeed,
who is humble and does not exalt himself in his heart over
others, and yet he must soar above them outwardly. Hence
they quote several passages from the fathers and thereby blind
and fool themselves, and everybody else.
151. The apostle would say of this external imperiousness :
I know very well that he who would teach and rule others must
be spiritually superior, but they make spiritual that which is
bodily ; for they want to soar high bodily ; their goods, honor,
behavior, persons, affairs, right and rule must be over all other
382 Luther's church posth..
goods, honor, persons, affairs and rule. They want to have
everything their own way and insist on having it that way too,
those dear squires, and therefore convert temporal goods,
honor, person, behavior, clothes, etc. into spiritual things.
152. Christ w^as spiritually the highest on the earth, for he
taught everybody, as a teacher and master, but he did not exalt
his person over any man. Yea, he served man with all that he
had and was able to do. The prophets and apostles undoubtedly
were also among the highest on the earth spiritually, but when
did ever anyone of them set his person, goods and existence
over others, much less over kings and princes. They were
much rather subject to them and offered them their service,
as Christ also was subject to Caesar, Math. 17,2-7. Beloved
Herodites, the spiritual kingdom is not seen with eyes, and does
not rule over goods nor persons, but over souls and spirits
through the Word of God. But you convert it into an earthly
kingdom, and give it the spiritual name, in order to cover and
adorn the accursed arrogance, that you might not be subject
to anyone, nor pay interest, taxes and toll, that you might be
exempt from every duty, and only receive and rob.
153. I have forgotten and overlooked the fact that I should
have credited them with avarice, and must therefore consider
it here in the fourth place. This vice is so enormous in the
pope and the spirtiual order, that wood and stone cry out about
it. But this is nothing compared with that which few people
see, namely that the spiritual order is founded almost entirely
upon usury, through the highly damnable rental sales, which
the pope has instituted as a reserve and patron of avarice, that
he might visibly swallow the world. Furthermore, among
thousands one scarcely sees the secret avarice prevailing among
them, that they are spiritual simply for the sake of bodily main-
tenance and support.
154. The proverb has hit upon the truth, Despondency
makes the monk. *'For how many are there not who become
spiritual for no other reason than that of anxiety, lest they
may not be able to nourish themselves, or must do it with labor
and worry. There are now bishops and dignit.iries v;lio became
such for this very reason. What is it but avarice, when one
e:piphany. 383
does not trust God, who created him, to the extent that he will
also nourish him ? But some also become spiritual because they
are despondent on account of their salvation ; these however are
the few, and since this is no good reason they are not well
established.
155. Fifthly, they are slanderers. This must follow from
the former virtues. For if their pride j arrogance, avarice and
self-esteem are to stand and be preserved, they must equip
themselves with armor, and defend themselves against those
who chastise such sins with Scripture, as they justly deserve to
be chastised, and cannot endure the Scripture. Therefore the
pope must here send out his bulls and law, and must curse,
damn, slander, and excommunicate all who militate against his
kingdom and say it is not God's Word but the devil's, all who
withstand his holiness and his divines, who must be avoided
as the worst of heretics, as St. Peter also proclaimed in 2 Pet.
2, 2, that such people shall speak evil of the way of truth, and
shall afterward say, that they did it all to the honor of God,
and for the sake of spiritual possesions. But the pope's fac-
tion, his Herod-like associates, will adhere to him, and will
spread such slander and cursing as far as their avarice, pride
and arrogance prevail, so that the world shall be filled with
blasphemy and curses.
156. O God, heavenly Father! Thy terrible wrath and
fearful judgment are visited upon all the world in these dan-
gerous and miserable times, and alas, no one acknowledges it;
wilt thou have created all men to no purpose ?
157. Sixthly, they are disobedient to parents. Next to
•obedience unto himself, before and above everything else,
God has commanded obedience to parents. But what do the
pope and his spiritual kingdom now teach? If a father has
reared a son to be a parson or a bishop, he has raised a lord
over himself, who is under no obligation to be obedient to him,
on account of this great worthiness and the exultant holiness
of Herodic spirituality. Therefore the people also as we can
see lead a free and unrestrained life. God's command concern-
ing obedience to parents is disregarded, and they claim that
|;hey are under the highest obedience to God; although God
384 i.uthe:r's church postHv.
has not commanded one single letter of their claim, but it is
all of their own invention. Now God does not recall one com-
mand, even on his own account much less on account of man's
choosing and selection. Likewise, the cloisters also have come
into vogue in order to get rid of this commandment of God;
therefore the son or daughter, without the will of the father,
leaves the parental roof and goes into the cloister. The holy
father pope and his Herodites decide that this is right and
proper and so compel the people to break the commandment
of God. Thus the entire spiritual order has been made free
and independent of the highest and first commandment of the
second table.
158. But if you will hsten to me, I will from my whole soul,
advise you rightly, in the name of Christ Jesus. If your child
becomes iclerical contrary to your will, whether it be priest,
monk or nun, you may, if you chose subsequently, sanction
and tolerate the disobedience. But if you do not sanction it,
and if you are afraid, that on account of weakness your child
might not preserve his chastity, or otherwise might lead a per-
verse and dissolute life, or perhaps spiritually misguided, or if
you should need his support at home then do not dispute about
the matter but go, unhesitatingly, and take your child out of the
cloister, out of his monk's dress and tonsure, or whatever else
he may have crept into. Do not yield if he has made a hundred
thousand vows, and all the bishops in a pile have blessed him.
Your child has been entrusted by God to you to govern, and
from you he will again be demanded. What answer will you
give if you allow him to be lost, when you can advise and save
him? If the authorities object, then oppose them in return
with the comandment of God, that children are to be obedient
to their parents, particularly when parents are concerned about
their danger, and will not allow it. Why, the pope's law allows a
wife, unhindered, to take her husband out of the cloister and
priesthood. Now the fourth commandment, to be obedient to
parents in matters not contrary to God's commandment, is just
as well God's commandment, as that man and wife shall not
be separated.
159. Therefore, I say that tlie pope takes the liberty from
EPIPHANY. 385
sheer insolence, to remove monks and nuns from the cloisters,
though he has no power to do so. The parents have the power
to leave their child there or take him away when they please,
or as they see it beneficial for the child.
160. But when the Herodites here say, that obedience to
parents cease when the service of God orders it, and that the
first commandment is above the fourth commandment, then
answer them boldly, that God's service is not their spiritual
order, concerning which God has commanded nothing, and that
they lie when they call their little invention God's service. The
service of God is nothing else than to keep his commandments.
In the first table, his commandments require faith and love
to God. Now they do not walk in faHh and love to God,
who become clerical only in external particular affairs, in
which there is less love, than in domestic and worldly affairs.
161. But now alas! many people are pleased to see their
children become clerical, because they do not see the danger
in it. Some solemnly promise their children to the clerical rank.
Such is all pure ignorance concerning the faith and the Christ-
ian relation. If however, parents should demand something
contrary to God's commandments, as for example, against
faith and love to our neighbor, they are not to be obeyed. Here
Christ's word must stand: "He that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me," Math. 10,37, otherwise
tlie commandment of obedience remains. Parents however may
and ought to be willing, and even suffer themselves to be per-
suaded to give their child, when it is possible and necessary for
his soul.
162 In this connection another subject of great importance
must be considered, namely the marriage of our children. No
one indeed is so foolish as to force his child into marriage.
This must not be done. When a daughter wishes to marry, I
claim that she shall pledge obedience in her virginity, and ask
her father's consent. Neither should she be compelled to take
this or that man, but she should have her own free choice ; as
in the case of Rebekah, Gen. 24, 58. When, however, obedience
is coerced, I claim that it must be respected.
163. But the question is here whether the father has the
386 LUTHKR S CHURCH POSTIL.
power to annul the marriage, when the child became engaged
contrary to his will. The pope answers no! releasing the
child from obedience to the father ; but I say, yes, and do not
release the child from obedience to the father. And I think
also that no other man has the power to release previous to
entering into the marriage relation. But when the relation
has already been entered and the fruits are apparent, and they
want to remain together, it is very unkind of the father to se-
parate and tear them apart, though he have the power to do so,
for however great his power may be, it is a duty he owes to love
and friendship, to connive a little, and act according to the
child's desire, that such separation may not be affected by self-
will and wantonness, undertaken without any cause whatever.
164. For parents are sometimes inclined to give attention
to their own disposition rather than to the benefit and need
of the child. Although the child may suffer in this way it is
not right on the part of the father, whose duty it is to be friend-
ly and, to the best of his ability, to use his power for his child's
welfare; just as Manoah and his wife li'stened to Samson's
intercession, to get the wife for him whom he desired, though
she was not their choice, Judg. 14, 3.
165. When it happens, however, that the maid betrothes
herself clandestinely, while the father, or the father's vice-
parent had given her another, then she shall trample the pope's
snare under foot, and without any conscientious scruples dis-
miss the first, and take the second. For the pope has no power
to act contrary to God's command, or to substitute the first
engagement and break the second, causing thereby consciences
to err, saying that such a maid is an adulteress for marrying
the second, and forcing her to the first, claiming that she must
suffer, and not willingly take the second, nor demand the con-
jugal duty. O thou murderer of souls ! how miserably thou
comf ortest consciences! jumbling one thing with another, until
there is no more any room for salvation, and causing perilous
times ! If the maid should beg her father's pardon, and plead
that she may live with the first, because she has such a strong
desire, then let her do so ; otherwise obedience is a mere farce ;
she can insist upon conjugal duty and act as though she had
EPIPHANY. 387
never been betrothed. Had this precept been preserved, clan-
destine engagements would long since have been suppressed,
and th great destructive snare for consciences in th pope's
jurisdiction would never have prevailed.
166. Now you can see, I think, how keenly St. Paul under-
stood this spiritual kingdom which would teach all children to
be obedient to their parents, and yet give them liberty to choose
temporal or spiritual stations, or to continue in those already
chosen, without the sanction of the parents. In this way it
has simply destroyed and nullified God's commandment con-
cerning obedience, and thereby so lamentably confused con-
sciences, that they do not know vrhat to do. As they teach
disobedience toward parents, and separation from God's com-
mand through their spiritual holiness, so also they teach young
and worldly people to act wrong in the marriage relation.
167. But a pious child must learn to honor his parents and
to be pleased and satisfied with their dealings with him when
they do not act contrary to God's command. And if he
should be able to awaken the dead, or heaven should open its
portals at his bidding, he must undertake none of these, know-
ing that such an act would be contrary to the will of his
parents. For he who is obedient to his parents is obedient also
to God, whose com'mandment it is to be obedient to parents.
Therefore one should be glad to see destroyed that which is
done contrary to parental obedience when not required of God,
however good and however great a service of God it may
seem to be; for that cannot please God which is contrary to
parents, if God has not commanded it. Therefore God speaks
through Jeremiah, Chapter 29, 6, to the parents : ''And take
wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands,"
etc., so that the children may not take them themselves, but
that the parents have the power to dispose of them. More
might be said on this point, but let this suffice for this time.
168. Seventhly, they are ungrateful not only toward God,
which is a necessary sequence, when they blaspheme, condemn
his word and destroy his commandments, but also toward men ;
for they have received great good and honor from the princes
of the whole world, and their entire comfortable life is the
388 Luther's CHURCH posTiL.
sweat and blood of others. Neither do they acknowledge that
when a city or district is destroyed they shall contribute and
help with their abundant riches and treasures; this is nothing
else than simply keeping their treasures in their own pockets.
Again, if their interest and goods in any way are interfered
with there is no mercy exercised in excommunication, driving
and martyrdom. No one thinks or says, ''Very well, then,
seeing that we have such and such goods or lands and to spare,
and since they have had such trouble and ruin, we will now
show them love and extend a helping hand." It is a spiritual
blessing and must not serve worldly affairs ; yes, they consider
it the greatest vice if they should be charitable, and say,
*'He who does that ravages the goods of the bishopric, cloister
and the holy church." Therefore that the goods of the church
may always remain, Christian love and genuine gratitude must
perish. And yet those who do such things are not spiritual,
holy people, and they wil enter into heaven as little as a cow
into a mouse-hole.
169. Eighthly, they do not consider holy things. Here the
apostle deals them a powerful blow by calling them Anosios,
Oslos means consecrated, holy, spiritual, such as deal in holy
things and are ordained to this end ; such as through consecra-
tion become spiritual and holy. Anosios, hence, means unconse-
crated and unholy. But is he not an insolent apostle who dryly
and openly calls these spiritual fellows unspiritual and the con-
secrated unconsecrated ? Have they not the tonsure and are
they not anointed with oil? Have they not white gowns, and
do they not hold masses, sing high and read low, play organs
and pipes, bells and sounding symbals, consecrate churches and
chapels, burn incense and sprinkle water, carry the cross and
banners, dress themselves in silk and velvet, carry golden caps
and silver pyxes, and do everything that is great? If these are
not spiritual things, then what is spiritual? Thus the pope
and bishops must go astray. Certainly St. Paul is under the
pope's ban, because he has spoken against such a spiritual
right, in which purely such spiritual things are performed.
170. No cow, no ass, no swine is so entirely devoid of
sense that it would not be able to recognize these things as
KPIPHANY. 389
physical and external, through which no one can become
spiritual or holy. Neither do we now call everything of this
Herodlan rule spiritual and consecrated. Therefore St. Paul
rightly calls them the unspiritual ecclesiastics on account of
these unspiritual things which cause them to neglect the true
spiritual things. He understood their perversion and how they
assumed the place of ecclesiastics, and therefore changed their
name, as if to say: These men profess to be the spirituals
and say that they administer holy things ; they are rather the
unspirituals, concerning themselves about foolish deeds and
neglecting the true spiritual things.
171. For he is called osios or spiritual who administers the
Word of God and the sacraments in order that he may lead
himself and his fellowmen to God. This is in truth the office
of the spirituals. But neither of these do they do ; yes, through
their abuse of all the sacraments, especially of the mass, they
lead themselves and everyone else still further away from God.
Neither do they preach the Gospel nor fulfil their spiritual
duties rightly. Much could be said concerning this. The
apostle has in these words embraced everything that pertains
to their true office and on account of which they are called
spirituals, and he says : They do none of these things, therefore
they are rather the unspirituals.
172. Ninthly, without natural affection. They do not with
their heart mean anyone, that is they do not interest themselves
in any one, they let every one fare as he will and go where
he pleases. If they but have enough, they are satisfied. As has
been said, it is the duty of the clergy to minister to the spiritual
wants of the people, and also to see that the poor are provided
with the necessities of life. Now it is evident that no one on
earth manifests less interest in his fellowmen than does the
clergy. And all this is caused by the aforesaid wickedness,
love of money, unthankfulness and unholiness. They are a
united people, bent upon their own profit and advantage in
temporal as well as spiritual things.
173. Or is there anyone who would call that kindness, when
the pope and his allies shed the blood of so many Christians,
when they instigate the whole world to war, when they exhaust,
390 i.uther's church postil.
suck out and flay the world with their indulgences and all
kinds of roguery? It is indeed a very fine virtue in rulers to
interest themselves in their subjects and heartily to be con-
cerned about their afifairs and their needs in things of this
world ; but it is a still finer virtue when the clergy does likewise
in spiritual matters, as they would do if they were truly Osii
But now they are anosii and astorgi, unholy as well as unkind.
174. In the tenth place, they are obstinate, not willing to
help others. Here St. Paul vehemently attacks the holy canon
law, which speaks so much of privileges, liberties and exemp-
tions, and strikes the holy ^cr'uiiiim pectoris (heart- shrine) at
Rome. Nature and God's disposition ordain that people who
must live together in one community unite to carry common
burdens upon common backs and do common work with com-
mon hands. Thus they are bound together with common bur-
dens. In disregard of this, the pope and the canon law have
their privilegia, lihertatcs, immiinitatcs, indulta, gratias, nothing
but exceptions; he and his allies avail themselves of the ad-
vantages which community afifords but leave the doing of com-
mon work and the carrying of common burdens to others ; yes,
it were the greatest sin to follow St. Paul, to relinquish their
privileges and to help carry the burdens of the community.
And still they plainly see that such liberties cause people to
look at them askance and with dissatisfaction and that it justly
embitters their hearts and therefore is contrary to brotherly
love.
175. Moreover, the holiest father, the pope, has the power
if members of the clergy would unite or had united with the
community to tear all such bonds and to absolve them from
their oaths and vows because they had been made to the detri-
ment of the church. It is the fruit of unkindness that no one
but they is to be free and rich, is to have the necessities and
pleasures of life and is to live without the burden of danger
and care.
176. They exempt themselves from the obligations which
they have as members of the community and are subject only
to the pope ; therefore St. Paul calls them aspondos, those that
exempt themselves, the obstinate, who are of no service to their
KPIPHANY. 391
fellowmen, but wish to enjoy the service of everyone else, and
who wish to enjoy the advantage in all things, but repudiate
the disadvantage. Such a state of affairs can not be tolerated
in any community and is indeed contrary not only to Christian
love, but also to all fairness and all reason.
177. In the eleventh place, they are slumberers and back-
biters. What an awful vice of which St. Paul speaks here,
which is most commonly found among the clergy, much
more so than among other men, and also among those who,
in the eyes of the people, are highly renowned as men of breed-
ing, honor, and upright character. Do but take notice what
attitude these people take toward the sins and faults of others ;
how they boast of their love and kindness as examples of good
breeding, honor and uprightness, how they apply themselves
with great earnestness to righteousness, that indeed there is
nothing lacking in regard to love and mercy toward their
neighbors.
178. That we may understand this well, we shall speak of
it carefully and slowly. In the former vices it has been shown
what attitude these men take toward the person and the
property of their neighbors. Here he particularly tells us what
attitude they take toward the sins of their neighbors. Oh,
how blind and ignorant they are here, how they are led by their
own pleasure and haughtiness ! The Scriptures teach us what
attitude to take tow^ard our neighbor's sins, namely, this :
179. First, we are not to be suspicious, but are to put, if at
all possible, the best construction on everything that we see in
our neighbor which is not an open sin. For thus writes St.
Paul, 1 Cor. 13, 7 : ''Love believeth all things," that is, it has
the best opinion of every one and is suspicious of no one ; it is
of the opinion that others act and think as love itself acts and
thinks. Love always means well, though its actions may be
apparently evil at times ; therefore it puts the best construction
upon everything others do, no matter how evil it may appear.
180. Secondly, when our neighbor's deed is an open sin
and cannot be otherwise construed, then love acts thus : Has
this deed been seen by, or is it known to, no one else, then love
will keep it quiet and not disclose it, will tell no one of it and
392 LUTHER S CHURCH POSTII,.
will, if possible, i:over it, that no one else may know of it, and
will thus preserve its neighbor's honor; but love will also
reprove him and pray for him, have patience and mercy with
him, and will think as a certain father thought, he fell yesterday,
I may fall today ; or, if he sins in this thing, I sin in another ;
we both need the same grace. Therefore love will forgive and
help, as we also pray that we may be forgiven and helped.
Thus Christ teaches us. Math. 18, 15 : ''And if thy brother sin
against thee (that is, secretly, that no one has seen it but you)
go show him his fault between thee and him alone." And St.
Paul, Gal. 6, 1 : "Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any
trespass, ye who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of
gentleness, looking to thyself lest thou also be tempted."
181. Thirdly, if our neighbor's sin is committed publicly
and cannot be covered because it is known to a number of
people, then love will again act thus: love will keep silence,
will tell no one else of this sin, but will go and make it known
to his superior, whose duty it is to reprimand him and will
let that suffice; then love will pray for him and have mercy
as before. Thus we read. Gen. 37, 2, that Joseph told his
father Jacob the bad rumor which was spread concerning his
brother. He did not tell their secret deed, but as the text says,
the bad rumor concerning them, which was to show that their
deed was no more a secret but had become public and the talk
of the people.
182. Compare with this what these lovers of discipline and
honor now do. In the first place, because they secretly think so
much of themselves and are so well pleased with themselves,
they think that no one acts and thinks as well as they do, they
are the most suspicious people on earth, full of unnecessary
care and anxiety that no one does right, and they put the worst
construction upon everything; and even when a deed is good,
they nevertheless think the intention is evil. Then they search
for and meditate closely upon the intention that a person may
possibly have and are not satisfied until they have heard some-
thing bad about their neighbor. Oh ! what respectable and
honorable people are addicted to this vice ; and it really seems
at times as though it were only cautiousness with them and
EPIPHANY. 893
fear of being deceived. But cautiousness considers casual
danger and protects itself from being degraded, speaks openly :
I believe that you have no bad intentions, but we are all human,
you may change and err as well as I, etc. But suspicion con-
siders the present deed only, thinking nothing good of it, and
not of the casual danger ; it thinks that that is already wrong
which caution regards as good and for which it provides
means to save it from becoming bad.
183. Secondly, when suspicion sees the neighbor's evil deed
secretly or hears of it, it is delighted, for it can now show how
pious it is and how bad other people are, how it loves right-
eousness, propriety and honor. The poor publican must submit
to the Pharisee; Noah must suffer to have his son Ham see
his nakedness. Yea, we are accustomed to say, what an hon-
orable, pious man this is; every one must now hear of this
neighbor's evil deed. Some take great pleasure in hearing
and talking about the sins of others and say : Indeed it is true.
This vice has assumed greater proportions than any one be-
lieves, especially among those who seem to be honorable and
well bred people. Here there is no one who would conceal, who
would reprove, who would amend, who would intercede; but
everyone slanders and defames and yet they are holy and
spiritual people.
184. Thirdly, when, however, they wish to reprove or ac-
cuse another, they deal as immercifully with him as though
they themselves were in need of no grace, and as though they
themselves had never committed any sin. They do not tell his
superior but revile him publicly before those who knew nothing
of it before. Here the love of justice is bought for a high price,
for thereby the neighbor is robbed of his honor and disgraced.
Here it concerns them not when he is driven into despair,
hazards his body and soul, becomes a desperate man. They
have reproved the sin as pious, honorable people, but as to
betterment, let another see to that. They cast him from them
as one who would always remain a good-for-nothing. Oh,
what a senseless mass of holy, honorable people they are ; they
have no scruples of conscience, they go and pray as though they
had done their part well ! Behold ! to this vice they add the
394 luthkr's chubch postil.
ones spoken of previously ; they are boastful lovers of self and
also without natural affection, obstinate, who concern them-
selves about no one, are of service to no one and seek only
their own honor to the shame and detriment of others. For
this reason St. Paul her calls them diabolus, slanderers, de-
filers, who know no other way of dealing with their neighbor's
sins than thereby to disgrace him, to rob him publicly of his
good name that they only may be looked upon as pious, well
bred and honored men : For if they were merciful and kind-
hearted, they would seek to better and not to defame or cast
away any one but destroy his sin.
185. St. Paul has indeed described them perfectly ; for
experience teaches how insanely the clergy and men of this
kind are bent upon listening to other people's sins and shame,
ridiculing, speaking about and spreading ^hem, thai they
indeed are worthy of the name diaboli or devils. St. Paul
always uses this little word diabolus in this sense; although
some people use it for the devil, whose nature also is to expose,
spread and magnify people's sins. But when St. Paul speaks
of the devil he usually says Satan. Thus he says, 1 Tim. 3, 6 :
"A bishop must not be a novice, lest being puffed up he fall
into the condemnation of the diabolus/' that is, the slanderer,
that he may not have occasion to judge evil of him etc.
186. In the twelfth place, they are unchaste. How could
it be otherwise when they are leading such a haughty, free,
secure, indolent, gay and wanton life? How is it possible that
they should remain chaste, addicted to all the aforesaid vices,
when those scarcely succeed who live an irreproachable, vir-
tuous life? Now, this vice is publicly known to exist among
them, they indulge in it immeasurably and yet go unpunished.
But no one is responsible for this unchastity but the pope,
because he has forbidden the clergy to marry. If they were
allowed to marry, many would abstain from the vices, but
many of them would be obliged to choose a different calling.
The evil spirit knew this well, and in order that such vice may
be strengthened, he prompted the pope to forbid marriage.
Thus has originated this peculiar institution, which is pleasing
unto themselves. And lastly, he has beguiled them witli this
EPIPHANY. 395
pretense, that they do not acknowledge, never regret, nor
repent of, the eleven vices previously described, but regard
them as right and virtuous, and enter heaven with them.
But this twelfth vice is so coarse that they :can not deny it.
Here they do penance and confess it and thereby become as
white again as snow, just as a sow that lies in the mud with
its entire body, but keeps only one ear and a few bristles on
its back dean.
187. In the thirteenth place, they are fierce; that is, they
are entirely untried, untrained, inexperienced people, who can-
not understand any shame; when you touch them they loose
their temper, and this must all follow from their unrestrained
life in which they have been reared. As a child that has been
left to do as it pleased becomes coarse and knotty, so they
also are inflexible, ungentle, intolerable people. They are ac-
customed to be honored, to receive plenty, to have their will
and to go unpunished; if anything else, therefore, comes in
their way, they will not tolerate it. But if they were under
discipline as others, they would oftentimes have to give way
and abstain from that which they now freely do and would no
doubt become more mellow and mild, so that one could get
along better with them. This vice is also a very open one,
especially in the monasteries, where they call themselves pas-
donates; that is, such that easily become angry.
188. In the fourteenth place, they are no lovers of good;
that is, they do not regard the good, they are entirely uncon-
cerned about performing good works and proceed as though
they were not in need of good works and as if they knew an-
other and better way to heaven. For they maintain that they
are so superabundantly rich in good works, through holding
mass and praying their horas that they can even sell them to
others. They simply know of no other good works than their
own self-imposed and self-chosen works, concerning which
God has commanded nothing. Those who are the most pious
make their testament when they die. Institute masses and
vigils, increase the fees of the offiicating ^lerg>^ and improve
the possessions and the worship of the holy church. These
are their good works ; besides this their whole life is of no good
396 luthdr's church postiIv.
and no benefit to anyone. Or would you call that a good work
when they extort money from the poor people, as the Jews
did, practice usury in all the lands and levy taxes on every
house and head? Do not believe that they would ever give
without returns, or loan without interest ; on the contrary, they
must gather for their wills and soul-masses. Therefore it has
become proverbial that a priest's testament is a sausage, re-
mains a sausage, and will be a sausage. Therefore the will
passes through and through the testators from one to the
other; that the property is not worthy to be of any benefit to
the poor people. Thus also other good works, such as visiting
the sick, clothing the naked, comforting the downcast and the
like; being of service and benefit to neighbors, is with them
neither a matter of concern nor an act of worship. They abide
by their masses and church — howling and make of the mass a
good work and offering. This costs them neither trouble nor
money, but brings money and secures indolent and good
days.
189. Then they proceed and speak of two kinds of works
of mercy, spiritual and bodily ones, and say: The spiritual
ones are better than the bodily; therefore they despise the
bodily as inferior and abide by the spiritual as superior; and
therefore secretly and without being aware of it, depart from
the ways and commands of Christ. The spiritual works of
mercy, they say, are the mass and its commands ; what, there-
fore, is not mass and vigil is vile in their eyes. Thus they
entirely forget and disregard good works. Tell me, I pray,
how can the devil succeed better in beguiling them than by
teaching them that they shall call their mass and prayer
spiritual and better works than the bodily, which Christ com-
manded, who knows nothing of their spiritual works.
190. Therefore the apostle has indeed pictured them most
clearly when he reproves them for lack of interest in good
works. He does not say that they do not know what good
works are, but says that they have no regard for them. For
they know very well that Christ has commanded them; yes,
they themselves confess that there are bodily works of mercy,
but now they come with their interpretation and destroy them
EPIPHANY. 397
with their spiritual good works. My dear friend, look at all
the convents and monasteries and tell me who derives a farth-
ing's worth of benefit from these people. Whom do they
serve ? Whom do they help ? They profess to do only spiritual
works of mercy, which are nothing but their idolatrous masses
and vile bawlings and murmurings in the churches. This they
themselves call good spiritual works, but God does not, though
they are certainly nothing more than the devil's phantom.
191. Now this possibly could be endured if they alone
would thereby go to hell, but this cursed rabble leads the
whole world to damnation. For others learn from them to
despise good works and follow and obey them in masses,
vigils, prayers, gifts to the saints and similar satanical good
works. Thus it happens that they live in indolence and lazi-
ness, that they are not allowed to do good to anyone but suffer
others to do good to them and to give unto them so that all
join with them in their spiritual good works and leave the
bodily good works undone. No one helps another, but every
one is bent upon doing these spiritual good works. They are
spiritual good works, to be sure, wrought, however, not by the
Holy Spirit, but by the evil spirit.
192. Oh, how many thousand times more blessed is the
estate of matrimony or any secular profession ! For married
life necessitates good works toward the children and servants.
A married man must of necessity be of bodily benefit to others
as well as. to himself; and a secular government must surely be
of some benefit to its subjects. Servants, maids and all sub-
jects must be of some benefit and service to others. But this
miserable rabble is of no benefit to any one in this world, but
wants every one to be of benefit to them, and they are drowned
in their disregard for everything that is good. Still they pray
and hold mass for other people, just as though prayer and
mass were committed to them alone and not to the whole
congregation. Oh Lord God, behold this cursed conduct and
perverted divine service !
193. In the fifteenth place, they are traitors. Ay, St. Paul!
Whereto art thou going? When wilt thou cease? How thou
(lost bite and sting and strike so terribly this tender crowd
398 luther's church postil.
with their soft ears ! Are they indeed traitors of the race of
Judas who sold Christ? Whereby have they rendered them-
selves guilty ? A traitor accepts money or favor and with kind
words leads his master or friend into danger and death;
just as Judas accepted money and with loving greeting and kiss
delivered the Lord into the hands of his enemies. This also
the pope and his clergy are continually doing spiritually by
taking the treasures of the whole world and giving indul-
gences for them ; and his preachers preach to the poor people
his lies of indulgence and false works, speaking good words to
them from faith to works, that they might lose Christ and fall
into the meshes of the devil. This is indeed a great abominable
treachery toward all the souls in the world. But still it is spirit-
ual. St. Paul, however, must also be understood to mean
bodily treason.
194. We can often read how the popes with their sleek
words incited kings and princes against one another and
against the Turks by promising them heaven and thus destroy-
ing their body and soul and filling the world with the blood of
Christians. And they continue still to betray the poor people
in this way whenever they please ; they preach and command to
be preached, how sacred the wars are that are carried on for the
sake of spiritual treasures and the church. Yet they are con-
cerned only about their bellies and their preaching is nothing
but lies. As to the pope himself, he has always been per-
fidious in dealing with emperors and kings, as history abund-
antly proves. And here the bishops and the clerg}^ stand by
him and help him ; otherwise he could not have accomplished
it. Perfidy is so common to all of them that the apostle justly
calls them traitors. And they will continue whenever an op-
portunity presents itself to betray ind sell emperors and kings :
for they cannot otherwise suppress and overpower them. Now
they must side with one, now with another, that they may sub-
due one after another and thus retain their power.
195. And here they have no scruples of conscience ; on
the contrary, it is a great merit, for he who sides with the
most holy father, the pope, is no traitor, but an obedient child
of the Christian church. Just as they have bodily betrayed
EPIPHANY. 399
kings, countries and people, so also they themselves betray
each other spiritually, suffering themselves to be led into
treason v/ith sleek words, as if it were an act of worship
receiving the pope's benediction and grace as their reward and
helping to betray the Vvdiole v/orld. Do you see how clearly St.
Paul saw all these things long before and how correctly he
describes the state of affairs as it exists now and has already
existed long. He has not missed it by a hair's breadth.
196. In the sixteenth place, they are headstrong; that is,
their treason and all their vices they commit freely, securely,
boldly, without any timidity for men and without any fear of
God, as though it were impossible for them to err or as though
no one saw them who would judge and punish them. They are
a most foolhardy, thirsty and presumptuous people in whatever
they undertake. Because they have freed themselves from all
duties and obligations, there is nothing occurring to them
which they will not boldly and eagerly undertake, if they only
have the chance and the right to do so.
197. This vice we find particularly in the pope, who per-
mits himself to be called plenitiidinem potestafis (absolute
power), likewise: proprium motiim et certam scientiam (abso-
lute will and infallible knowledge). The others are ad-
dicted to this vice also and they call it zcluiii veritatis et
jitstitiae, reverentiam ecclesiae (zeal for truth and righteousness
and reverence for the church), and the like. If they once get
a person under their influence, then beware ! there is nothing
but pure malice and thirst.
198. In the seventeenth place, they are puffed up, having a
big turgid heart. This follows very naturally from the vice
just mentioned, their headstrongness. For when they have
committed treason and all wickedness in the most shameless
manner they brag of it, blow it about and say: Who will
punish us for it? Who will restrain us? Who will judge us
on account of it? We are under obligations to no one; we
may judge and punish, but no one shall judge and punish us.
Thus they do not only wish to have liberty to do all kinds of
knavery, but defy those who would restrain them, and go
un judged. One is to remain quiet about it and call them
400 Luther's church postil.
gracious young men and to suffer them to do all the harm they
wish to the body, soul, goods and honor of all the world.
199. Concerning this vice St. Paul also writes, 2 Pet. 2, 18,
that they desire to go unpunished uttering great swelling words
of vanity, as if their throat was swollen. Many laws in the
pope's canon law are of this kind, for here he puffs himself
up like an adder and defies the whole world; no one is to
interfere with whatever he does nor judge neither him nor
his associates. And all the clergy follow his example, they are
also haughty and bombastic, suffering themselves to be judged
by no one, threatening with lightning, thunder and twenty and
four hells, as experience teaches. For St. Paul says nothing
about them which they have not publicly committed : and thus
they richly and abundantly fulfil the words of St. Paul.
200. In the eighteenth place, they are blind. Be careful,
holy apostle, be careful ! These are the learned and the lights
of the world, who have the power to make new articles of
faith, and without whom no one can dare to interpret the
Scriptures. Thou wouldst like to cause an uproar and incite
the laity against the clergy; then the divine services would
be turned upside down and the heavens, which rest upon them
alone, certainly would fall. Thou better be still, or otherwise
scold the laity alone; for to scold the clergy brings no good,
fosters dissatisfaction among the people and causes them to
despise the spiritual authority. Neither will these fellows be
reformed by your admonitions, they only become angry and
worse than before ; they would like to put you under the ban,
damn and burn you as a heretic.
201. But why are they blind? Why do they concern them-
selves in such foolishness that even children and fools see its
worthlessness ? They do not see a spark of the true light of
faith and of the Gospel. Egyptian darkness has so thickly
settled on them and in them one can almost grasp it; and yet
tliey consider them nothing but virtues. It is now the highest
virtue of the bishops to be great, coarse unlearned ass-heads,
who consider it a shame to be really learned.
202. In the nineteenth place, they are 'lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God." Hence the apostle agrees with the
EPIPHANY. 401
common proverb : The clergy has an easy life. If there is a
life of sensual pleasure on earth, it is their's; for they live
without work, reap the fruits of the sweat and blood of others,
lead a lazy life, eat and drink the very best, clothe themselves
with the finest goods, have the best lands and houses and withal
the most beautiful little maidens, or any other pleasure and
amusement, so that it is commonly said: The good things
belong to the clergy.
203. But the holy cross which Christ lays upon all his
followers and which cannot be reconciled with sensual pleasure
they have perverted in a masterly manner ; they have enchased
it in silver, for then it can be more easily carried and causes no
pain; yes, they have sold its kisses and its blessing, and it has
become a useful servant of sensual pleasure. But into their
hearts the dear cross may not come and dare have nothing to
do with their lives; for their liberty, thirst, scorn and pomp
have placed a barrier between them and the cross. Never-
theless, they carry the Lord's cross in silver to his praise and
go to heaven thereby. If the Lord should now say to them:
I have carried my cross myself and have not commanded you
to carry it, let each one of you carry his own cross and follow
me ; then they would perhaps again outwit him by producing a
twofold cross, as they have produced twofold works of mercy,
and say that Christ's cross is better than their's ; therefore they
have abided by the best and have forsaken their own cross
that they could honorably carry his ; yes, honor it and worship
it as their idol ; as they now unfortunately lead these poor
people and teach them to worship wood, silver and gold, telling
them of their relation to God through the cross; just as if the
poor, common man were able to grasp their subtle buffoonery
when he prays to the holy cross. They are the enemies of the
cross of Christ, that is the sum and substance of it all.
204. In the twentieth and last place, "Holding a form of
godliness, but having denied the power thereof." How ruth-
lessly the apostle proceeds and anticipates a forcible question
and objection, namely, that one should say: How is this pos-
sible? They pray and sing so much, daily hold mass and
divine services with great pomp and honor. Thus the clergy
402 i^uther's church postil.
have always lived in obedience, poverty and chastity under
their holy orders and rules. To all this and to whatever may
yet be brought forth the apostle briefly answers and says : It
is nothing but pretense, glitter and color, beneath which are
covered, adorned and fattened such abominable vices, for all
their things are chosen and devised by men and not commanded
by God. Therefore they abandon God's commandments and
adhere to their own nonsense and are veritable electors who
do not the will of God but what they have chosen themselves.
The Lord Jesus himself. Math. 24, 15, briefly mentions all these
vices, under such pretense, and calls them an abomination and
says : ''When, therefore, ye see the abomination of desolution,"
etc. For it is an abomination of which every one justly has
a horror that under such a small pretense such great, ugly,
offensive vices should grow and flourish.
205. He speaks also very intelligently: "They deny the
power or the strength of the godly life, which is plainer and
severer. They are without the power and activity of a godly
life. They deny and antagonize. But what that means we
shall consider later when we again come to Herod and speak
of his worship. Let it suffice now that St. Paul is recognized
in this text and that we see how he agrees with the Gospel.
For here the wise men search and have the Scriptures with
honest intentions and Herod has them also, but only in
pretense and with wrong intention, namely, to hinder them
for the sake of his kingdom, as the Papists also do. Therefore
we shall consider St. Paul's text to the end.
206. He says : ''Beware ! from these also turn away."
Here he warns us to guard ourselves against this clerical rule
and orders and gives permission, yes, commands us to leave
them if we have been caught in their meshes, as we shall hear ;
he throws open all monasteries and cloisters and frees every
priest and monk. Thus Christ also teaches, Math. 24, 16, to
flee from them and avoid them.
207. Furthermore he portrays some among them in par-
ticular when he says: "For of these are they that creep into
houses and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away
by divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the
EPIPHANY. 403
knowledge of the truth." Who can Interpret this differently
than that here are meant the mendicant orders, which the
apostle here clearly foresaw? They are they who have always
crept into houses. St. Paul calls that a house which we now
call a church, for at his time there were no churches, but the
Christians assembled in houses just as it may happen now that
ten or twenty neighbors come together and preach and pray
and all receive the sacrament.
208. Thus these mendicant orders now also creep into
parish churches which do not belong to them and preach their
sermons there. This right the pope has given them by reason
of his own insolence and power. The other thing is that they
alone rule almost the entire confession. This privilege the
pope has also given them by reason of the same power through
which he has allowed them to creep into the houses. This
is truly the devil's game and the women adhere to it, especially
those who are already guilty of gross transgressions, as St.
Paul here says, laden with sin. For when these foolish women
are troubled in their conscience and do not know how to help
or counsel themselves, they go and pour out their troubles
before the priest and think that all is well. But then they are
caught and they give and bring as much as they have and can.
And then the holy fathers come and preach and admonish the
people to confess their sins, citing many examples of how
women who were in perdition and who appeared after death
declare that they were damned because they had neglected the
confession ; and they utter such enormous papistical lies that the
very stones tremble and sweat.
209. If you observe closely these examples which they
adduce, you will discover that only women have been damned
because of neglect of confession and not men ; so that one can
clearly see that a great arch-knave has contrived these ex-
amples who was eager to know the secrets of women's hearts
and who, having seen how the women out of natural faintheart-
edness are naturally more bashful than men, has said to him-
self: I will advise them rightly and through the fear of con-
fession learn to know their hearts ; and by the help of the devil
he was successful. But he has withal entangled and damned
404 LUTHKr's church POSTlt.
many consciences who on account of shame and timidity which
they could not overcome have not confessed and yet have
thereby sinned against their consciences because they beUeved
that it was necessary to confess and yet had not done so. For as
you beheve so God will judge you ; if you believe that it is your
dutv to do something, and you do not do it, you sin. It is my
conviction that such a knave who with such examples entangles
and damns consciences through a false faith, deserves that not
only his body but also his soul be torn and ground by all the
devils into a hundred thousand pieces. What horrible murders
of souls these helHsh traitors and papistical liars commit in all
the world ! Oh, weep, he that can weep, over such lamentable
destruction of poor souls.
210. When poor timid women who are naturally simple
and credulous, and wish to be devout and pious, hear such a
sermon, they suffer themselves to be entraped ; and when they
seek advice and help of their spiritual father, the coarse ass and
blind leader cannot tell them anything about Christ and faith,
but proceeds to teach them that they must atone tor their
sins through satisfactions and works. Then the torturing be-
gins of which St. Paul here speaks ; thus they are always learn-
ing and never come to a knowledge of the truth: therefore
the woman's conscience finds no rest, her sins oppress and tor-
ture her ; she would like to be freed from them and cannot ;
then it follows what St. Paul says, that they are led away by
diverse desires ; then she begins to fast with water and bread,
makes pilgrimages in bare feet to the saints ; some scourge
themselves until the blood flows, some give here to the church
and there to the cup, and their diverse desires have neither end
nor measure ; whatever they hear as being good for the atone-
ment of their sins they try to do in full earnest, but find no rest.
In the meantime the holy spiritual father sits, and rests, having
caught the poor creatures, which are of no more value to him
so many milch cows. And when the women are caught the
men will also be caught before long and what secret confession
imposes upon them must be done.
211. If you would preach free penance correctly, then say
i
EPIPHANY. 405
thus : Dear women, if any one is burdened with sin, let her
confess, if she will; if she confess, or if she do not confess,
let her have a firm faith that Christ w411 forgive her sins, and
let her confess them to him secretly, with entire, sincere con-
fidence in his grace, which he has promised to all who desire
it, never doubting, and then her sins are certainly forgiven.
Then abstain from them and perform good works toward
your neighbors who are in need of them, invite poor people,
wash their feet and humbly serve them. Behold ! this is the
right way to rescue a sinful woman, and it can be done without
burdening the conscience, with good will and delight, as is
pleasing to God. But if this v/ere done these men who murder
souls and frighten spirits would lose the confession penny, the
milch cow would go dry, and the poor consciences would be
freed, not led any more by their endless teaching and preaching.
But this would hurt the holy clergy, yes, they would have to
starve to death. For the apostle has not without reason mention-
ed the women who are laden with sins, for the others who are
innocent they do not trouble with such devilish examples, teach-
ings and incarcerations. In order that this milk may not be
diminished they must urge such fright upon the consciences,
especially such women who are easily misled ; and that par-
ticularly, when they are burdened with an evil, sinful con-
science. For then there is nothing that they would not obey,
and too much can never be imposed upon them. They eventu-
ally become unsteadfast and finally despairing souls, who have
learned to comfort themselves not with the grace of God but
with their own works, and wish to have their sins taken away
not through faith but through satisfaction, and this is impos-
sible.
212. They request that we should spare the clergy, and not
scold and reprove, but honor and excuse them. Yes, if they
alone were evil and if they would ruin only themselves, I could
well be silent; but their rule destroys the whole world. He
who remains silent to this, and does not hazard his body and
life, is no true Christian, and does not love his neighbor's sal-
vation as his own. If I were only able to tear the souls out of
hellish jaws, I would then scold more temperately. They set
406 i^uther's church postii..
the city on fire and say I should not cry, fire! nor quencfi
the flames. ''Cursed be he," says Jeremiah, chapter 48, 10, "that
doeth the work of Jehovah negligentl}', and cursed be he that
keepeth back his sword from blood." God desires us to strike
vigorously with our swords, that the blood may flow ; he that
does the work unfaithfully is accursed. They however wish to
be treated leniently and with much indulgence. Not thus, dear
man!
213. St. Paul says further: "And even as Jannes and
Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the
truth." Here he does not speak of the mendicant orders only,
but also of the aforesaid members of the clergy, who withstand
the truth, and will not suffer the people to be led out of their
rule of fear to the knowledge of free faith. Every one can
now see that they fear that their rule and tyranny will be sup-
pressed. Thus, when the children of Israel were oppressed in
Egypt by King Pharaoh, and God sent Moses to deliver them.
Moses performed two miracles, to prove that God had sent
him ; then two of King Pharaoh's magicians, Jannes and Jam-
bres, performed the same miracles, thereby detaining the king
and rendering Moses' miracles ineffectual so that the Israelites
had to remain until the third miracle was performed : This
the magicians could not perform and then it was known that
they were wrong and that Moses was right.
214. Thus it always is, the tyrants among God's people
have always had a pretense, they act as though they were
the true saints. Thus they hinder and retard the simple, that
they cannot become free ; for they are weak in conscience and
cannot clearly distinguish between show and reality, between
pretense and truth. Therefore the people will always be en-
trapped through show and pretense, and the truth is hindered
and retarded. Thus the wise men were detained at Jerusalem
through Herod who pretended to search the Scriptures. And
now the clerical pageantry also prevents people from coming
to faith and the truth, because it has a good appearance and
is so much like the true worship. St. Paul says further :
215. "Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the
faith." Here you can see what they really are; their mind
EPIPHANY. 407
and their imagination are corrupted. For they insist that what
they do is right and that there is nothing else, and yet they
know nothing about faith. True faith alone can make un-
corrupted minds and spiritual virgins. He teaches a correct
imagination and a good mind who insists that the grace of
God alone is our comfort. He who is not of this mind is a
Christian like the harlot is a virgin, though he may perform
the good works of all the saints. Where there is such a cor-
rupted mind there is little hope that they will ever come to
true faith; especially not when they have gone so far as to
oppose true faith and wdien they suffer themselves to be cor-
rupted after true faith had been planted in them by baptism.
216. Further, ''But they shall proceed no further; for
their folly shall be evident unto all men." Thus also the pope
and our clergy will fare ; the truth will remain and will be so
strong against them that their empty show and knavery must
be exposed ; though they rage and storm and have four thous-
and Turkish emperors on their side. Show and lie cannot
obtain in the end, for that is impossible, although they may
save themselves and remain for a time. Let this now suffice
concerning St. Paul's text, and let us return to the Gospel
and its interpretation.
217. That Herod called the wise men and inquired of
them secretly as to when the star appeared, indicates that the
spiritual Herods do not deny the Gospel outwardly, but learn
it from the true Christians, however, only, with this intention
that they will use it to do mischief; just as Herod here intend-
ed to use the time the star appeared, to kill Christ and confirm
his own kingdom. Thus also now, when we hold up the
Gospel to our clergy they do not deny that it is the Gospel,
they hear and accept it. They deny, however, that this is not
the correct meaning, that it has a gloss and an interpretation
which we shall get from no one but them, and that every one
must acknowledge their interpretation. Thus they do not
deny the Gospel, but rob it of its power, and under the name
and appearance of the Gospel they teach their own dreams.
This St. Paul, 2 Tim. 2, 5, calls : ''Holding a form of godli-
ness, but having denied the power thereof.' He does not sa}
408 luthejr's church postil.
they have the power of the divine essence, although that Is
true also; but he says much more forcibly, that they deny it.
Thereby he gives us to understand clearly, that they are god-
less not only in their life and walk, but also in their doctrine
and government; that they lead themselves with their lives,
and others with their doctrine away from the Gospel and
salvation. This the pope and the clergy now do in all their
sermons. Though they cry loudly : Gospel ! Gospel ! Yet they
deny, damn and curse everything that is in the Gospel with
all its contents. Just as Herod learned of the star, but en-
deavored to destroy everything the star signified. We will
now consider a few of their doctrines, and guard against them.
218. The Gospel teaches that salvation is by faith alone.
This they hear and do not deny; nevertheless, they destroy
all its power by saying that faith without works is useless.
Thus they secretly depart from faith to works, and publicly
condemn faith and ascribe everything to works. Therefore
they retain the little word faith only in appearance, and deny,
condemn and curse everything of the nature of faith, and
begin to divide it into many parts ; some say there is a natural
faith, others a spiritual, some a common, some others a par-
ticular, some a simple, others a complex, and they themselves,
these blind leaders, know less of what they are juggling, than
any natural fool. The Gospel knows nothing of their mani-
fold faith, has but the one, which is founded upon the pure
grace of God, without any merit of works, of this they have
not the faintest idea, yes, condemn it as the worst heresy,
and yet they say that they will defend the Gospel and the
Chrisian faith.
219. Again the Gospel says that Christ is our Saviour;
this they hear, but then losen and weaken every natural work,
manner, and attribute of Christ inasmuch as they publicly teach
that man can, through natural strength and works, earn
the grace of God, therefore they condemn Christ and all his
works, as St. Peter, (2 Pet. 2,1,) has prophesied of them:
''There shall be false teachers among you denying even the
Master that bought them." For if nature itself can attain the
grace of God, as now all high schools, instituions, and
EPIPHANY. 409
cloisters, hold and teach in harmony with the pope, then Christ
was born and died to no purpose. Why should Christ have
shed his blood to acquire grace for us, if we through our
nature could have acquired ourselves? Yet they wish to be
Christians, and raise aloft the name of Christ, under the ap-
pearance of which they revile and condemn as heresy the en-
tire Christian essence.
220. Again, the Gospel teaches that the law of God is
spiritual and cannot possibly be fulfilled by nature; but that
the Spirit of God must fulfil it in us through faith, Rom. 8, 2-3.
Therefort they deny neither the Spirit nor the law, but they
nevertheless destroy all its power, and teach that man, with-
out the help of the Spirit, can fulfil the law naturally in all
its works, although he cannot thereby earn heaven. This
is nothing less than denying the power of the law and of the
Spirit, retaining only the name.
221. Then they proceed and tear the law of God asunder
where they think it too difficult for nature, making super-
fluous, unnecessary things of it; as for example, that it is
neither necessary nor commanded that we should love God
with the entire heart, that we give the cloak with the coat;
again, that we should not go to court ; again, that we should
loan and give to everybody, without profit or gain. Again,
that we should suffer evil and do good unto our enemies, etc.
Thus they have destroyed the true nature of Christianity,
which consists alone in this that we suffer wrong and do
good to everybody. And then they institute in its stead their
own command, that they wear tonsures and caps, eat no meat,
eggs, butter, and milk, make a great noise in the church ; that
nothing remains now of the law of God.
222. Again, the Gospel praises the pure grace of God as
pardoning and destroying sin. Now they do not deny the
little word grace, but hold it seemingly in high esteem ; besides
this, however, they teach a multiplicity of satisfactions for
sin, payments of money, orders, divisions of repentance in
order to purchase from God the forgiveness of sin, and to
pay him for his grace. Therefore the nature and work of
410 luthkr's church postil.
grace are destroyed and condemned to the very foundation;
for grace is pure grace or nothing at all.
223. Again, the Gospel teaches that through original sin
all men are under wrath and disfavor, and that all their works
are thereby rendered sinful. They do not deny the expression,
original sin, but destroy its force by saying that nature is still
good, and its works are not sinful, and can as yet well pre-
pare itself, yet for grace. They say also that original sin did
not injure nature so that it should be condemned, but simply
weakened it towards the good, and disposed it to evil. If it
does not follow its inclination, which of itself it does not
need to do, it does not deserve hell, and can also acquire the
grace of God. Behold, this is as much as to say: original sin
is not original sin; and under this name they deny the work
and nature of sin.
224. Again, the Gospel teaches : that love does not seek
its own, but serves others only. Now they indeed hold to the
little word love, but curtail its entire nature, in as much as
they teach, ordinary love begins with itself and loves itself
first and most. Then they say, it is loving enough if, one
simply wishes another well, it is not necessary to add the deed
of serving him ; for it would be dishonest for the pope to hum-
ble himself and serve his subject, but he permits his feet to
be kissed, and thinks it enough simply to say: I wish every-
body well except my enemies. Behold ! here lie in ruins, the
nature and power of love, and nothing remains but the simple
empty name.
225. Again, the Gospel teaches how hope builds alone
upon pure divine revelation; they confess the little word,
hope, teach, however, that hope does not rest upon divine re-
velation, but upon its own merits.
226. Again, the Gospel teaches how God's providence is
eternally sure ; they, however, teach that it rests upon the
free will and is uncertain.
227. In short, they confess God and his name, but root
out and condemn as the worst heresy whatever God orders,
wills, does, establishes, and executes, from which we can clearly
see how Christ's suffering is now spiritually fulfilled under
EPIPHANY. 411
the rule of the pope. Behold, see they have in their teaching
the appearance of faith, of hope, of love, of grace, of sin, of
the law, of Christ, of God, of the Gospel; yet they deny all
strength and nature of the same, and even condemn it all
as the worst heresy. On this account the apostle spoke so
sharply when he said : They deny the power of the whole
divine worship and life, and live only the pretence of it. Oh,
Lord God of heaven, where are the streams of water, yes, of
blood that rightly should flow from our eyes in this last terrible
and dreadful time of the unspeakable, immeasurable wrath of
God upon the world because of its sin and thanklessness.
228. Further, Herod sends the wise men to Bethlehem
and commands them diligently to seek the child, pretending
that he also wished to come and worship him. Here our He-
rodians are shown another thing, namely, that they ought
to live as they preach. Teaching and living are with them emp-
ty show and denial of the truth, for the life must be as the
teaching directs. However the pope and the religious orders
now do allow Christians to be pious, and command them to
seek Christ and the truth; yet with this addition, that they
must be his betrayers, and serve the priesthood in thus seek-
ing Chcist. For the pope now shamelessly and eagerly de-
clares this to all the world : Anyone is allowed to seek Christ
and to live righteously ; but, if he does not also obey the pope's
orders and command, and serve him, with all his good life, be
subject to his authority, he still cannot be saved. The people
are thus made to think that more, or at least just as much,
depends upon obedience to the pope than upon God's com-
mands.
229. See, this is Herod's addition, that he not only sends
the wise men to Bethlehem, but also holds them subject to
himself and feels bound treacherously to destroy Christ. For
what do all who thus hold that obedience to the pope is necess-
ary to salvation, and that whoever does not hold it is con-
demned, do, except betray and surrender Christ that Herod
may find and kill him. For Christian faith cannot exist beside
such obedience or such conscience, as has often been said.
For faith alone must save, and such obedience be counted use-
412 luthkr's church posth..
fill and permitted, faith must perish, and Herod reign in
Christ's stead. That means then really to surrender and be-
tray Christ and one's faith.
230. But, when Herod says: I too will come and worship
him, everyone sees that he lies, that these are mere words and
a clear pretence, beneath which he is still planning something
quite different, namely to kill Christ and to destroy his king-
dom. Here you have in Herod the image of all unbelieving
saints well and briefly set forth. In the first place Herod does
not pretend any common thing : he does not say that he wishes
to give him gold or myrrh, neither that he wishes to help
him or to be his true friend ; but undertakes the very highest
and best thing that there is in the service of God, namely, hu-
mility and worship. I will come, he says, as a lowly one, and
show the highest honor, even worship.
231. Thus do now also the Herodians, the priests, who
do not undertake any ordinary work, but the very highest,
the service of God. This they appropriate to themselves, in that
they exercise themselves, saying openly that the life of other
men is temporal and worldly, but that they are in the service
of God day and night, and, while others labor, they pray and
serve God for the poor people.
Do you not believe this? Well then, ask the bells about
it which ring for their worship. To this they go in humble
manner, let themselves be proclaimed God's servants before
all men, fattening their bellies right well in so doing, gather
for themselves riches out of all the world, and build houses, as
if they expected to live here forever. Accordingly we must here
note the difference between true and false worship, that we
may recognize and avoid the spirit of the villain Herod.
The True And False Worship Of God.
232. No better distinction is to be had here than God's
Word. The worship which is there taught must surely be
the true worship ; but that which is set up beside God's Word
or outside of it, as invented by men, must certainly be the
false Herod-worship. Now the worship of God is nowhere
EPIPHANY. 413
established, except in his commandments. For without doubt
he alone serves God who keeps his commandments ; just as
a servant in the house is said to serve his master only
when he does, and attends to, whatever his master bids him
to do. However, if he does not do this, even if he otherwise
does the will of the whole town he is not said to serve his
master. So then, whoever does not keep God's command-
ments, does not serve God, even though he keeps the teachings
and commandments of all men.
233. Xow the worship of God consists in this that you
confess, honor and love God with your whole heart, put all
your trust and confidence in him, never doubt his goodness,
either in life or in death, either in sins or in right living, as
the first commandment teaches. To this we can attain through
the merit and blood of Christ alone, who has gained for us
and gives us such a heart, if we hear and believe his word;
for our nature cannot have such a heart of itself. Behold,
this is the chief worship of God and the greatest thing, to wit,
an upright Christian faith and love to God through Christ.
Therefore the first commandment is fulfilled by us through the
precious blood of Christ, and God is faithfully served from the
heart.
234. In the second place, if you honor God's name, and
call upon it in need, and openly confess it before the tyrants
and persecutors of this true worship, not fearing them, but
punishing the Herodians and guarding, as much as you can,
that they do not dishonor God's name with their false life
and teaching, set forth under God's name, which is truly a
great thing and takes the burdens of the world upon itself.
See, this is the second article of worship which is kept in the
commandment.
235. Thirdly, if you bear the holy cross, and must suffer
much because of such faith and confession, that you must
risk for it body and life, goods and honor, friend and favor;
this means rightly keeping and hallowing the Sabbath, since
it is not you, but God only who works in you, for you are but
a suffering, persecuted man. This is the third article of wor-
ship, and is included in the third commandment. See, here
414 Luther's church postil.
is the first table with the first three commandments, which
are contained in the three articles, faith, confession, and suf-
fering. By this the present life and the world are renounced
and God alone is praised.
236. Fourthly, we come into the second table, and hence-
forth you serve God, if you honor father and mother, are sub-
ject and obedient to them, and help them where they need it
before all mankind, and if you do not without their consent,
go into orders, when they are in need of your services in some
other way.
237. Fifthly, that you injure no one in body, but show
kindness to everyone, even to your enemies, that you visit the
sick and prisoners, and give a helping hand to all needy, and
have a. good, kind heart for all men.
238. Sixthly, that you live chastely and temporately, or
always honor your marriage vow, and help others to honor
theirs.
239. Seventhly, that you do not deceive or injure anyone4
or take advantage in business; but that you lend and give to
everyone or exchange with him, as far as you can, and pro-
tect your neighbor against injury.
240. Eighthly, that you guard your tongue, and injure,
slander, or belie no one, but defend, excuse and spare everyone.
241. Ninthly and tenthly, that you do not covet any man's
wife or property.
242. See, these are the parts of truly good worship. This
and nothing else God requires of you ; if you do anything
more, he does not value it. This is also clear and easy to be
understood by everyone. Now you see that the true worship
must be common to all classes, and to all men, and only this
alone dare be found among God's people. And, where another
worship is found, it must certainly be false and misleading; as
that is what will not be common to all, but limits itself to
some especial classes and men. Thus far we have spoken of
the true, universal, and only worhsip.
243. Now let us see the false, peculiar, factional and multi-
farious worship which Is not commanded of God, but made up
by the pope and his priests. There you may see many kinds of
EPIPHANY. 415
monasteries, orders, and cloisters, of which one has nothing in
common with any other. One monk wears a large, another
a small shaven crown ; one wears gray, another wears black,
another white, another woolen, another linen clothing, another
made of hair; this one prays on such days and time; this one
eats flesh, that one fish; this one is a Carthusian, that one a
barefoot monk. This one has such ceremonies ; that one
others; one prays with the stool toward Rome; another with
the bench toward Jerusalem ; this one conducts mass so, that
one differently; this one is bound to this monastery, that one
to another; this one bawls in this choir, that one in another,
and the churches are full of their mutterings. They live too
in celibacy and have all kinds of disciplines. And who
can name all their countless, factional, odd and sectarian
practices ?
Well, now this worship has vomited forth another, yet more
overgrown. There is neither limit nor measure to the build-
ing of churches, chapels, monasteries, and altars, to founding
masses and vigils, to establishing hours of prayer, and to
creating mass vestures, choir caps, chalices, monstrances, sil-
ver images and ornaments, candlesticks, tapers, lights, incense,
tables and bells. Ho, what an ocean, what a forest of these
things there is ! into this has gone all the devotion, tribute,
money, and property of the laity; this calling increasing the
worship of God and caring for the service of God, as the pope
calls it in his divine right.
244. Compare now this article with true worship, and tell
me, where has God ever commanded anyone a letter of the
article? Do you still doubt then that the whole clergy under
the pope is nothing but the creature, the empty show, or the
imposture of Herod, only that people may be hindered and
turned away from the true worship? These are the altars and
the groves over which the prophets lament regarding the peo-
ple of Israel, that every town set up its own grove and altar,
and forsook the true temple of God. Just so has this ungodly,
superstitious, popish, Herodian worship filled all the corners of
the world and has forced away and destroyed the only true
worship of God.
416 Luther's church postil.
245. Perhaps you look about and think : What, could so
many people be wrong all at once? Beware, and do not let
their number trouble you; hold fast to God's word; he cannot
deceive you, though all mankind be false, as indeed the Script-
ures say, Psalm 116,11: ''All men are liars." Do not be
astonished that so many are now in error for in the days of
Elijah there were only seven thousand righteous men in all
Israel, 1 Kings, 19, 18. Tell me, what were seven thousand
men over against all Israel, of whom there were more than
twelve hundred thousand fighting men, besides women and
children? What was even the whole people over against the
whole world that was all at one time in sin? What then is to
be now, since Christ and the apostles have spoken such terrible
things of these times that even Christ himself says, Luke 18, 8 :
When the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth ?
These must be great and terrible things and must lead a great
many people astray, and those most of all of whom one should
expect it the least shall be ruled by the Anti-Christ who leads
the world astray. We should be certain, since we do not
regard God's judgment and do not take his wrath to heart,
that it would be no miracle, if he retained scarce one man on
earth as righteous.
246. This is the last and worst time, of which all Scriptures
has spoken so terribly. Thank God, therefore, that you see
his word, telling which is true and which the false worship.
Then see that you remain therein and do not follow the mob
that wanders without God's word. If those scarcely remain
steadfast who have God's word and hold fast to it, where
shall those stay who, without God's word, follow their own
head? Therefore, let him doubt who will; God's word and
worship convincingly show that the pope is the Anti-Christ and
the priests his disciples who lead all the world astray.
247. See now, has it not been well arranged ? The Herod-
ian worship has brazen bells, and these are man}' and large,
with which they allure the people to such worship. As the
worship is, so also are the bells or allurements. God has given
to the true worship other and right bells, namely the preachers
who should ring and sound such worship into the people. But
EPIPHANY. 417
where are they now? Those are dead, senseless bells, and
they would be more useful if one made pots and vessels of them.
Just so the worship is dead and useless, and it would be better
if one carried on such a business in the field of jugglery.
248. See, this is the worship of Herod which pretends to
worship Christ and serve God, and is nothing but deception.
Yet it plays the hypocrite so well that it daily deceives many
good, pious people, and has often deceived them, as Christ
says, Matth. 24, 25, that they shall lead astray, if possible, even
the elect. As it has happened to St. Bernard, to St. Francis,
and to St. Dominic and others, who however, did not perish In
error, nor remained in it, since their saving faith kept them
safe through such error and led them out.
249. So also it happened to these pious wise men. They
had a good, true faith and purpose; still they were mistaken
in Herod, thinking his pretence true and believeing his lies,
and were ready also to do as they were told and to be obedient
to him, had they not been otherwise instructed from heaven.
So it happens today, and so it has happened, that many are
obedient to the pope, and believing in simple faith that his
existence is right and good, thus falling into error. How-
ever their Christian faith helps them that such poison does
not in the end injure them, as Christ says, Mark. 16, 17-18:
"And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt
them, if they believe in my name." But what drink can be
more deadly than such lies and hypocrisy of false teaching
and wrong worship?
250. According as we have now learned to know Herod's
worship and perceived his artful hypocrisy, let us now see too
his evil purpose and maliciousness, with which he plans to
destroy not only the true worship, but also Christ, the King,
and his whole kingdom. He attempts to do this in three ways.
First, with the same hypocritical appearance of this false wor-
ship. For such an appearance of worship is so strong an en-
ticement from true worship that it can be overcome only by
especial grace, so that St. Paul well names it energiam erroris,
a strong working of error. The people cannot defend them-
selves against such seduction, where there are not true bishops
418 LUTHERS CHURCH POSTH..
and preachers who preach the only true worship, hold the
people to the pure word of God, and forbid the false worship ;
as the prophets did in Israel, and were all for that reason put
to death.
251. In the second place Herod destroys true worship
through his teaching, of which we have already spoken. Thus
he teaches works instead of faith, contrary to the first com-
mandment to honor and serve God; in the second and third
commandments he perverts and teaches one's own works
and sufficiency, and forbids to confess the faith and God's
name. As has been said, he teaches disobedience tc father
and mother, contrary to the fourth commandment. Contrary
to the fifth he teaches that it is not necessary to love one's
enemy and to do him good. Contrary to the sixth he tears
matrimony to pieces. He robs and steals and even justifies
so doing, thus breaking the seventh commandment. He teach-
es also that it is not necessary to lend and give. Summa siiui-
marum, he teaches that it is not necessary to love God and
one's neighbor from the heart. That means, to be sure, that
he destroys the whole Scripture and worship of God.
252. In the third place, he is not satisfied with such poison-
ous examples and deadly teachings, but goes ahead and exercis-
es two kinds of force in them ; he banishes and execrates the
souls that do not follow him, also burns, hunts and persecutes
their bodies, property and honor in the most shameful way.
What more could he do that is evil ? I mean to say that he is
a Herod ; nevertheless he must leave Christ alone, and cannot
carry out his will. He destroys many, but faith remains to
the end of the world, although hidden, a fugitive, and un-
known.
253. But here perhaps you ask me, what then should they
do who are spiritual captives under Herod in false worship,
in convents and monasteries ? I answer : You cannot do other-
wise than lay aside the false worship and hold to God's word
and true worship; or do as the wise men did, and drink the
poison, firmly believing that it will not hurt you. You will
find no other means ; God's word will remain unchanged to all
EPIPHANY. 419
eternity. But, although I have already spoken of this in anoth-
er gospel, I must speak of it again.
254. Well now, we place before us one who holds fast in
this matter and argues against us that a priest, a monk, or a
nun, or any other person who has gone into orders, is bound
to keep his spoken vow and may not in any way during his
whole life leave it or turn aside. Such a man may take his
stand in the Scripture, which says that one should fulfil what
one has vowxd. But let us, however, speak of vows which
God has not commanded, but which men make of their own
accord. For, since in baptism we vowed to serve God and
keep his commandment, such a vow is demanded by God of all
men, as the Scripture says. Psalm 22, 25 : "I will pay my
vows before them that fear him," and, Psalm 116, 18: ''I will
pay my vows unto Jehovah, yea, in the presence of all his
people." But the vow of the religious orders he has not
commanded.
255. With this opponent we shall deal in two ways. First,
let us decide definitely upon those things in which there is no
doubt or argument ; secondly, let us dispute with him, explore
and seek the truth. First, no one can or should doubt that all
contrary to God's command, whether it be to live or to die, to
vow or to become free, to speak or to be silent, is to be con-
demned and by all means to be changed and to be avoided.
For the will of God must soar above all and be done in heaven
and on earth, as we pray, even if a man could work all miracles.
This is clear and certain enough. So there is now no doubt or
argument, but it is certainly determined: If anyone has been
consecrated as priest, monk or nun against God's will, such
priesthood and monkery is nothing and altogether to be con-
demned, and he is bound to let it all go and change. Thus, if
anyone has become priest or monk only for the purpose of
stealing a chalice or ornaments, he has certainly taken the
vow against God's commandment, and has also sinned in so
doing and his vow does not bind him. Such a man may and
should return to secular life, or he must take the vow anew
and from right motives. For his purpose has never been to
enter the clergy; but, if thievishness had not urged him, he
420 luthejr's church postil.
would certainly not have taken the vow and considered enter-
ing the order. Accordingly God cannot accept the vow, nor
is it binding upon the man to observe it.
256. But before men it is different, for whoever has vowed
anything must keep his vow, although he did not intend it in
his heart. For man does not see his neighbor's heart, and ac-
cordingly accepts his vow as honest and believes it to be from
the heart. So he has the right to ask him to fulfil it, and may
honestly state that he is not bound to believe that the promiser
has changed his mind and rued his bargain. If, however, the
other lied, the loss is his. But God cannot be deceived, and he
judges only by the heart. Accordingly such a vow counts for
nothing with him, and he does not ask it, but is angry to have
anyone thus tempt him.
257. If now anyone had taken vows against the first great
commandment of God of the first table, he would be much more
obliged to give up his vow than that thief who had vowed
against the seventh commandment, as the first commandment
is higher than the seventh commandment. For whoever thus
steals contrary to the seventh commandment steals only world-
ly property, the very least of created things. But he wtio
deals contrary to the first commendment robs and denies God
himself, the highest good and the Creator of all. The priests
and monks, then, who sin against the first commandment, are
many times worse than that thievish cheat and breaker of the
seventh comandment. What, if we could now prove that nearly
all priests and monks enter orders against the first command-
ment, and that they become spiritual just as little, or even less
than these thievish roguish knaves. Oh, this means to throw
open monasteries and convents and to set free the monks and
priests. Well now, consider and listen.
258. The first commandment contains the Christian faith,
for he who does not believe cannot have a God or know him :
all unbelief is idolatry. This is Christian faith that trusts in
God's grace alone, gained for us and bestowed upon us through
the blood of Christ, and that counts no work useful or good to
win God's favor. For this were too hard for nature, which is
conceived and born in sin, and also lives, works and dies in
T^PIPHANY. 421
it if Christ would not come to its help, gaining God's mercy
for us by his works alone and not by our own. Through him,
too, we fulfil the first commandment and have a God on whose
mercy we can depend with all confidence, so that without our
merit he forgives all our sins and saves us in Christ, as has
often already been said. Therefore it is impossible that this
faith should permit beside itself a trust in works, as though
anyone Could obtain forgiveness of sins and grace and become
holy and be saved by them, for this belongs to Christ alone,
who does all this through his work. Thus we have only to
believe and confidently to entrust ourselves to him
259. Therefore there is no penance, no satisfaction for sin,
no acquiring of grace, no becoming holy, for we believe only
in Christ, that he has done enough for our sin, won mercy
for us and saved us. After that we should first of all do good
works of free will, to his honor and for the gfood of our
neighbor, not that we may become holy or be saved or put
away sin thereby, for that must remain entrusted to Christ
alone through faith. He does not grant to angels, much less
to our good works that they should put away sin, win grace,
and make holy : that belongs to him, he has done and does it
alone. This he wishes to have us believe, and if we believe it
then we have it.
Of this St. Paul says: I do not make void the grace of
God ; for if righteousness is through the law. then Christ died
for naught, Gal. 2, 21. That is to say, if we are able to do
so much that God forgives our sins and gives grace and salva-
tion on account of our works, then we do not need Christ.
For what other reason did he die, except to atone for our sins
and win grace, that we give up hope in ourselves and our
works, make nothing of them, confide in Christ alone and hold
with a fixed faith that he is the one whom God regards in our
place and through whose merit alone forgives us our sins,
becomes reconciled and saves us. This is a Christian faith, of
which Christ says, Mark 18,16. ''He that believeth . and is
baptised shall be saved, but he that disbelieveth shall be con-
demned."
260. Now let us consider the religious orders and estimate
422 luthe:r's church posth..
them over against the first commandment and Christian faith.
Does anyone wish to become a priest or to take a vow in the
Christian spirit so that he does not run against the first com-
mandment and tempt God, then the intention of his heart
must be that he can say: Well, I intend to become a priest,
a monk, or nun, or to take some other vow, not that I consider
the station of life or order a way to salvation, neither because
I expect through such a life to become holy, to atone for sin
and to win God's grace. God protect me against this, for this
would be against Christ and his blood, this would be destroying
all his merit and honor and the worst scorn and mockery of
God. For all that will I expect from him in pure faith, since
I do not doubt that he has done it for me. However, since I
must do something on earth, I will take up this life, exercise
myself in it, chastise my body and serve my neighbor : just
as another man w^orks in the field or garden or at his trade
without regard to merit and good in his works. See, where this
purpose is not, there Christ must be denied and the first com-
mandment destroyed^ and vain, unchristian, unbelieving, Jew-
ish and heathen life be found. This also says the mighty
Scripture truth of St. Paul, Rom. 14, 23: ''Whatsoever is not
of faith is sin." For without faith no one will be saved,
Mark 16, 16. So, too, without faith there can be no right-
eousness nor truth.
261. Tell me now how many priests and monks, think
you, are to be found who take vows and live under vows with
so Christian a purpose ? Do not nearly all of them speak thus :
Well, if my order does not count more for me in atoning for
sin, in becoming holy, and in getting to heaven than a farmer's
plough or a tailor's needle does for him, then what am I doing
in the order of priesthood? No, I will do good works,
hold many masses, pray and do penance for myself and other
people. What kind of word is that of an unbelieving heart
that has denied Christ and that ascribes to its order and works
that which should be expected of Christ alone through faith?
262. Moreover, as has been said above, it is the meaning:
and teaching of all those in the religious orders that one can
through his own work win God's grace and put away sin.
E^PIPHANY. 423
They are so devoid of shame that they sell, promise and divide
to others their good works, merit and brotherhood; they are
so bold as to do for men what Christ alone is able to do,
namely, to put away men's sins and to make them holy. Of
this Christ has especially prophesied and said, Matt. 24, 5 :
*'For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ."
Beloved, give heed to the word. Is it not true, as has just
been said, that our priests and monks make themselves Christ?
Although no one of them says with the mouth, I am Christ;
nevertheless they say: I help other people, give them my
merit, win grace for them, put away their sin, which is Christas
work and office only. Accordingly, they are Christ, although
they do not call themselves Christ. For Alatth. 24 does not
say that they will say: I am called Christ, but I am Christ.
It is not the name, but the office and work of Christ that they
take for themselves.
263. Therefore we conclude here without any dispute
or question or doubt that all in religious orders who are not
priests, monks or nuns from the above named Christian pur-
pose have certainly taken vows and live against the first
commandment of God and are ten times worse than the thiev-
ish, tricky rascal of whom we have spoken. And they are
truly the lost multitude, heathen and Jews, the Devil's own,
as they come and go ; they are truly and exactly those of whom
St. Peter says, 2 Peter 2, 1-3 : ''Among you also there shall
be false teachers denying even the Master that bought them.
And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make
merchandise of you." This they do to perfection, for all pos-
sessions and tribute come to the religious orders, because of
their false, unchristian life, which they hold up with false
words.
264. Accordingly, all these are to be advised to leave ton-
sures and caps, monastery and convent, and to cease keeping
their vow; or to begin anew to vow such a life in Christian
faith and purpose. For the vow observed in the Christian
purpose j:ounts no more before God than this much : See here,
God, I vow to you not to be a Christian as long as I live, I
recall the vow of my baptism, and will now make and keep
424 t^uther's church posth,.
for thee a better vow, apart from Christ, in my own doings
and works. Is not that a terrible, horrible vow? Now it is
nothing different, as can clearly be seen from the above. But
these are the ones who take vows in the best way, as they
suppose.
265. For the great, mad crowd who become priests and
monks for their bellies' sake, that they may be provided for
in this world, and who compose the larger part of the clergy,
are not worthy to be discussed and much less is their vow of
any validity. These can surely become secular, if they wish,
for they have never become nor been religious. And it would
indeed be necessary for them to cease mocking God with their
mummery, to give up their prebend, tenure, priesthood, monk-
ery and nuns' life. Oh, Lord God, how totally blind is the
world, how perverted it is ! The world now is religious and
religious orders are now the world. How strong is the rule of
Anti-Christ !
266. In the second place we shall now argue and say:
Although some one had honestly taken the vow with Christian
intention, has he not the power, if occasion demand, to return
to secular life? Here I desire that only pious, honest spirits
would give heed, who are not swift to judge, but are eager to
learn and reason. For nothing can be said to the mad Papists
and Herodians, no one can argue with them : they can only
hold their ears, gnash their teeth and scream : Heretic, heretic,
fire, fire, fire ! We let these alone as irrational and talk with
those who would gladly have their own and other people's
conscience instructed.
267. It is undeniable that a Christian purpose to take vows
consists, as has been said above, in this, that it does not take
the vow because the order is useful and necessary to abolish
sin, to win grace, to become pious, to especially serve God
and to be saved. These are properties of the common Christian
faith only which nowhere, except in Christ, expects such bless-
ings, but which, free and exempt from such unchristian mad-
ness, thinks only of accepting a good discipline of the body
in this life. Just so undeniable It is that God accepts no vow
or religious order, except It be taken with this Cliristian pur-
HPIPHANY. 425
pose, since St. Paul stands firmly here and says, Rom. 14,23:
''Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." But God cannot accept
sin, Ps. 5, 5, Hab. 1,13. Because, therefore, God does not
accept such vow and order otherwise than as voluntary and
unnecessary to salvation, and because true Christian purpose
does not begin nor vow otherwise, I should like to hear the
man who thoroughly and with honest reason could deny that
one in religious orders could re-enter secular life without
injury to his soul and with a good conscience before God,
especially if he had cause to do so.
268. That many say : It is not customary, the holy fathers
liave done and written differently, settles nothing, as anyone
can see. We ask here, not what custom does or what the
writings of the fathers ask, but what is right and pleasing
before God. Who will assure that custom is not wrong and
that the fathers are not in error, since even Christ declares.
Matt. 24, 24, that even the elect shall be deceived by false
Christs, such as those in the religious orders. Say what you
will, it cannot be made to agree that anything which is free
and unnecessary to the soul's salvation as undertaken or
vowed before God and the conscience, can not be let go, but,
on the contrary must, at the risk of the soul's salvation, be
kept until death. The two things are exactly opposite, as you
can see for yourself.
269. A Christian vow to take religious orders must before
God be thus: See, dear God, I vow to thee to lead this life,
which can be led free by nature and without regard to salva-
tion. Ought not God answere here : Well, v^hat then have you
vowed to me here, and what are you keeping? Have you not
enough necessary things to observe? In this you vow nothing
to me, since you may observe it and again let it go. Good,
this I will allow. And thus the vow before God naturally
excludes that the life under the vow remains free to be
observed or to be let go. It is just as if your servant made you
a vow and promised : Master, I vow to you on this extra day
free service, which I may do or leave undone; on the other
days I am bound to serve you. Here, I think, whether the
426 Luther's church postil.
servant did or left undone, as it may happen, he would have
done enough for his vow.
270. I cannot understand differently but that the vow of
all those who are in religious orders is the same ; for the rea-
son that faith makes all things free, and it is impossible that
anything should be necessary or should be made necessary to
salvation, either through ourselves, through angels or through
any creatures, faith alone excepted. And this is the liberty
which Christ has won for us, of which St. Paul teaches. Gal.
5, 1, and says against all the teaching of men: ''For freedom
did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore." Therefore the
vow of all those who are in orders must naturally have in it
liberty again to leave this life and should read thus : I vow to
God and you, chastity, poverty and obedience, acording to the
rule of St. Augustine, to be freely held or given up, until
death.
271. Here probably someone begins to laugh and to say
that would be a foolish, ridiculous vow and a mere deception.
I answer: Do not be surprised if men do ridiculous and
foolish things, when they leave God's ordering to follow their
own blindness and to do, not what god's Word teaches, but
what suits them. Ridiculous, foolish and worthless such a
vow is; but neverthe'less by it God's wrath is fulfilled and
countless souls are led astray, so that scarcely the elect escape.
272. Men have invented such vows and such a life, there-
fore it is and remains a human order. Many years ago when
young people were accepted to be taught and reared in a Chris-
tian way, as now ought to be done in the schools, they were
allowed, of their own free will, to remain for a while under
discipline. Now some remained willingly in this state all their
lives and became so accustomed to it that few forsook the
company, but remained altogether in it until their end ; thus
finally monasteries and convents arose.
Since now the masters have become lazy and the youth
intractable, men invented these cords and chains of the vow
and with it took the conscious prisoners and rid themselves
with care and oversight by making each one constrain himself
e:piphany. 427
to be and to remain disciplined and pious for the sake of the
bond of his vow; just as in the higher schools also, the abom-
inable practice prevails of guarding and carrying out every-
thing with oaths and vows to bind the poor youth so shame-
fully without any necessity.
273. Thus convents and cloisters have grown out of the
free Christian schools, and faith has been perverted into works,
and liberty destroyed and bound through vows. Accordingly,
it is not surprising that, where Christian liberty again shines
forth, human vows appear ridiculous and foolish. Christian
liberty can at no time exist together with the timid vows
of external works. One of the two irust yield; that is un-
avoidable. Faith makes all external things free ; the vow binds
them fast ; how then can both remain together ? Thus faith is
divine, the vow is human; therefore it is not possible that
God should let faith go and regard our vow. Therefore it is
not possible that he should sin against God or break his vow
who remains priest, monk or nun as long as he wishes, and
returns to secular life when he wishes.
274. We would further discuss this for the comfort of
the wretched, imprisoned consciences, oppressed under this
Herod and Anti-Christ. If we take for granted that vows
made in a Christian way ought to be kept, what then will you
say if one of these would become impossible for someone to
observe? I take up the one that is the most plausible, the vow
of chastity, which, as we see with our own eyes, cannot be
kept by the majority: for nature is far too weak to keep it,
where especial grace is not present.
275. Moses has written much of the natural sexual inter-
course between man and woman, both while awake and asleep,
of which no one dare now speak openly. So much purer have
our ears become than the mouth of the Holy Ghost that we
are ashamed where there is nothing to be ashamed of, and are
not ashamed where there is cause for shame. Yet it is neces-
sary that everyone should know and be instructed in these
things, and especially the youth. Where especial heavenlv
grace is not found, there nature must be satisfied according
to its constitution. If man and woman do not come together,
428 Luther's church positu
nature takes its own course and is unrestrained, so that It
would be better for man and woman to come together, as God
created them and as nature prompts. Many teachings and
books have been written about this ; would to God they were
all well written and helpful !
276. So now I ask, How will they advise one for whom
it is impossible to restrain himself? You say that such should
guard themselves with prohibitions. Well then, one of these
three things will follow, where there is not especial grace.
Man and woman will come together, if they can, as now takes
place among priests; or nature will relieve itself; or, where
neither of these happens, there will be a continual burning and
secret suffering. Here then you have a diabolical torture, and
it comes about that the man would take the ugliest woman on
earth, and the woman the most disgusting man because of the
raging evil lust of the flesh.
277. Modest ears should and will pardon me; I must lay
hold on the sickness of souls as a physician does of the excre-
ment and secret places if I am to help at all. Now God can
and will have no forced, unwilling chastity, which is no chas-
tity to him ; it must be voluntary, as all other services of God
must be voluntary, or he does not regard it. What are you
doing then that you hold this poor man for his whole life in
unchaste chastity, that without cessation he sins with the
heart against his vow, so that it would be better for the young
man to have a young woman and for the young woman to
have a young man?
278. Here some teach that it is enough if one willingly
begins the life of chastity and takes the vow accordingly, for by
virtue of the willing beginning it will not harm, if he after-
wards become unwilling. Oh, ye betrayers and blind leaders
who adapt the service of God to works and not to the Spirit!
All is in vain that is unwillingly done, and it would better be
left undone. For it may happen that the man and the woman
who live together have much less fire and lust than such
solitary men and women; but the greater the lust the greater
is the sin of unchastity. So now these three kinds of men can
KPIPHANY. 429
find no counsel ; the Pope lets them burn and be martyred, as
they may, so that I consider these to be the children who
among the people of Israel were offered and burned before the
fiery idol of Moloch.
279. Then you say, What shall I do otherwise? It is not
fitting to let them marry, on account of the vow, since the
Scriptures say : Vovete et reddite, vow and observe. That
answer I would have. Now answer me again : It is not fitting
to let them marry, you say; why then is it fitting to let them
play the profligate, to have secret sexual intercourse and to
burn? Will not the vow be violated worse here than if they
were married? How cleverly this helps the vow when you
forbid marriage and when you see that you can not prevent
profligacy and lust. I think to do the latter would be to leave
the beam in the eye and to draw out the mote.
280. Yes, say you, the man may at last leave the woman
and live chastely, and this he could not do if married. My
dear man, give me a few examples. It would happen sooner
that married people separate and voluntarily abstain than such
people. But let that go until another time. Answer me here :
St. Augustine makes a rule that his brethren are not to go
alone, but two by two. This I have vowed till death ; well
then, I am taken prisoner and compelled to be alone ; tell me,
what becomes of my vow? Shall I keep my vow here, then I
must let myself be killed, rather than be alone. But what if
they will not kill me and keep me alone by force, then my
vow must be broken or I must always have made for myself
this condition, that I vow to keep the rule in this and this
particular, as far as it is possible for me.
281. Further, I vow to pray, to wear a habit and other
things of the kind according to the rule. Well then, I become
sick, must keep my bed and cannot observe any of them.
What becomes now of the command : Vovete et reddite, vow
and observe? It does not help me that I am sick, for God's
commandment should always be kept in death as well as in life,
in sickness as well as in health. What will you say to this?
It does not count to invent careless, lazy, unfounded excuses
430 LUTHßR'S CHURCH POSITL.
here, we are to do with serious matters, on which the salva-
tion of the soul depends, so that one should answer honest-
ly, uprightly and thoroughly. Accordingly, if you should say :
If I am imprisoned and forced to be alone, if I am sick that
I cannot keep the other rules, it is enough that I have the will
to keep them and that I act contrary to the rule against my
will; God accepts the will, where the act cannot follow; then
I say. My friend, that does not help ; my vow rests on the deed
and embraces not only the will but also the work prescribed
in the rule.
282. Therefore where the work does not follow, the vow
is broken, or the vow excludes the possibility of the lack of
ability. Otherwise I too might take a woman and say: I do
this unwillingly and I would gladly by choice remain chaste,
but it is impossible for me, my nature forces, seizes and draws
me on. Who in the world is there who would not prefer to
Hve chaste and alone if he could do as he would? You must
answer here differently.
283. Now see, as in other points in religious vows impos-
sibility is reserved (as no one can deny), and as no one sins,
though he never in his life keeps the vow, because of impos-
sibility, I should like to hear honest reasons why chastity alone
must be observed, whether it is possible or impossible to ob-
serve it, and why not in the vow this condition should be made :
I vow chastity, as far as it is possible for me. If we would
speak without foolish talk, we must say that either the impos-
sible chastity, like the other impossible things, shall never be
vowed, or there never was a monk on earth. For there never
has been one who has not at one time been sick or otherwise
hindered that he had to leave undone certain parts of his rule
which is contrary to his vow.
284. Concerning all this it is in accord with their usual
custom to leave such parts of the rule in the power of the
abbot, that he may give his inferiors dispensation and excuse
them from keeping what he will ; not only because of impos-
sibility, but also for convenience' sake, and as it seems good
to him, all of which is contrary to the vow, where vows are to
be understood without any condition. For what you vow to
EJPIPHANY. 431
God to keep no creature can take away. Now you vow the
whole rule and your prelate excuses you in whatever point
he will or you have need, so that without doubt all monks'
vows can be considered as having this meaning: I vow to keep
the rule as far as is possible for me and agreeable to my super-
ior. If that is not the contents and meaning of the vow, then
all orders and cloisters are false and damnable, or there never
has been a monk on earth. For no one has ever believed and
regarded this point differently. Why then should not a su-
perior have the power to give a brother permission to become
secular and to marry, when he sees how the fiery and restless
temptations of the flesh are tormenting him? If he can not
release from the vow of chastity, how then can he release from
the others? But if he can release from the others, why not
also from the vow of chastity, for which there is so much more
cause than for the others ?
285. Therefore it has come about that they have divided
vows into substantialia and accidentialia; that is, some vows
ire fixed and others are removable. Of fixed vows they have
made three : Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. All the others,
with the whole rule and order, they call removable.
286. What a rascal the devil is and how full of a thousand
tricks ! If we ask them here for what reason they make such
a difference, and who has given them the power to do this,
they cannot say anything else than that they do it of their own
power and without all reason and cause. For when they saw
that it was impossible to vow the order and rule, and that it
could not be kept, they thought : Well, what shall we do now,
this is all vowed and will not be kept. If they should all be
condemned, there is no monk in a state of holiness, and all
orders and rules would be nothing else than impossible, foolish
things. We will do thus with it. We will exclude three points
that shall be called fixed, and whoever does not keep these shall
be damned; the others shall be called removable and not
damnable. And so it has also happened ; so they all hold, prac-
tice and teach. But wait, dear sirs, we have something to dis-
cuss with vou about this.
432 i.uthe:r's church positl.
287. If it is true that you have the power to make vows
fixed and removable, you have also the power to condemn peo-
])le and to save them. But tell me, how shall I be sure that this
division of yours is right and pleasing to God? Who will
quiet my conscience and assure it, when it is pressed with the
cummandment, Vovcte et redditef Do you think that it will
be enough for me that you so divide, or that you point out how
'it is not to be observed ? No, your division and non-observance
will not satisfy me against this storm : Vovetc ct rcddite. I
have vowed not only the fixed vows, but the whole rule, with
removable and fixed vows. The judge of all will not permit
that I change his word and say : Omnia vovete, aliqua rcddite;
but he will say : Quodcunque voveris, redde. Bt iterum; Redde
vota tua.
288. Therefore to exclude these three vows is surely a
senseless, misleading thing, invented by mere human presump-
tion, or all vows must be alike removable ; for they are all
vowed alike, demanded by the same commandment, and must
alike be kept or given up. What can you say to this, dear sirs?
You will say : Such a religious life is an impossible and use-
less thing. That is certainly true. We are fools, we vow and
do not know what we vow, afterwards we would help our-
selves and make possible, impossible, observe, let go, remove
and fix as it suits us. But the Highest will not permit us this,
'he will not allow his commandment to move this way and that
jacording to our will.
289. You have learned such things from the pope ; he too
takes this commandment of God, Vovete et reddite, and stretch-
es it as far as he will. He will set aside all vows, except those
of chastity and pilgrimages to Rome, to St. James, and to
'Jerusalem, and God's commandment is now taking this mean-
ing: Vow chastity and a pilgrimage to St. James, Rome, and
Jerusalem ; observe this ; what you have vowed otherwise you
|dare not observe. See, it is to be in his power which of God's
commands are to be observed and what are not to be observed.
Oh, thou cursed abomination, how impudent, how trifling is
thy insolence towards thy God! But what reason and cause
e:piphany. 433
has he for this? No other but that chastity and pilgrimage
are great things, and that the other vows are Httle.
Behold here the senseless fool and blasphemer who sets
aside God's commandment if it commands a little thing and
teaches to observe it if it commands a great thing. This is
directly contrary to Christ, Matt. 5, 19 : "Whosoever therefore
shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach
men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven." You
should not hold, like the pope, that a thing is trifling. We listen
to the command, Vovete ct reddite, even in little things ; while
the religious orders do as their father, the pope, teaches them
and say: Vovete et reddite the three fixed vows, but Vovete
et lion reddite the removable vows. See, then, whether the
religious orders are not the devil's own government and
nature, founded on mere lies and blasphemy.
290. Is it not so, my dear man ? Be it little or great, what-
ever is comprehended in God's commandments should and
must be observed. One must here direct himself, not accord-
ing to works, but according to the commandment. You must
not consider whether- the work is great or little, but only
whether it is commanded. If it is commanded, there should
be no neglecting it, be the case as it may. For Christ says :
Not one jot or tittle shall pass from the law till all be fulfilled.
But the pope and his disciples take away not only jot and tittle
from this commandment, Vovete et reddite. but also letters,
text, meaning and everything.
291. The religious orders cannot deny that they vow re-
movable vows which they include under the word Vovete; for
they call them Vota, vows, although they change them into
removable ones. So they can never deny that they are bound
to observe these, and that they are also to remain under the
word Reddite. Otherwise you might be an enemy to vour
neighbor in your heart, and say that you are not bound to love
him, but that it is sufficient that you do not kill him, tlius
keeping the larger part of the fifth commandment and neglect-
ing the smaller part. Henceforth we could divide all God's
commandments into great and small or into removable and
434 Luther's church positl.
fixed parts and say that we are not bound to observe the small
or removable ones. This is contrary to God, although the
pope and the universities thus hold and teach and the re-
ligious orders follow them.
292. What shall we now do? If the religious orders hold
all their vows and rules as fixed, who among them can be
saved? Will you then condemn them all? I would not willing-
ly condemn one but would far rather that they all escaped
from the cloisters or became holy in another way. In this way
they must certainly all be condemned, if they tear and twist
God's w^ord according to their whims. I have discussed all
this in order that I conclude beyond contradiction that all
vows be made removable or all fixed and equal ; one must be
like the other. And if one among them can be given up with
a good conscience for some cause, then the vow of chastity
too, and all the others can and should be given up, where need
and cause demand. I hope I have now stopped the mouth of
all gainsayers so that they on this account must be silent and
have nothing to answer.
293. Since we now see plainly that the impossible vows
must be given up, even by the holy people, and that God does
not ask these of them, I shall have concluded that no vow will
be otherwise accepted by God, or can otherwise be made, ex-
cept with the restriction and meaning: If it is possible and
pleases the Superior. Accordingly, we may give all young
monks and nuns wives and husbands and let them re-enter
secular life, where it is necessary, and where we cannot hold
them with a good conscience so as to please God. By this
means we shall restore the cloisters to their original purity
and nature as Christian schools, in which boys and girls learn
discipline, reverence and faith, after which they may freely
remain there until death, or as long as they wish, if God has
not otherwise planned and willed for them.
294. Further, we would have another encounter with them,
that we may see how wholly confused and groundless a thing
the '^religious" life is. I grant that their dream of the three
fixed vows, Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, is true. Povertv
EIPIPHANY. 435
is of two kinds, spiritual and bodily. Concerniug spiritual
poverty Christ says, Matt. 5, 3 : ''Blessed are the poor in
spirit : for their's is the kingdom of heaven." This means that
man is content and ready to deny himself all riches, and that
he bears in his heart only a renounced desire for them, although
he may have and control great riches, as Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob and many pious Christians. This poverty of spirit is
vowed by all Christians in common at baptism and is not
vowed by the religious orders ; for their vow demands that the
Christian, evangelical, common poverty first exist.
295. Bodily poverty means to possess or have no property
outwardly. This is not possible. Christ neither demanded nor
practised it, for man cannot live without bodily food and
clothing. Therefore they have made it mean this that bodily
purity is, not to have anything of one's own. This poverty
Luke has described in Acts 4, 34 : "For neither was there
among them any that lacked : for as many as were possessors
of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the
things that were sold." Christ also practised this, for his
purse, which Judas carried, was common to all the apostles,
so that John does not say that Judas had Christ's purse to
carry, but : ''Having the bag, took away what was put therein,"
John 12, 6. This word proves that the purse was common to
all: otherwise he had said, He had Christ's purse and carried
what was given to Christ.
296. Now see, St. Bonaventura was a cardinal; Eugene,
the pope, was St. Bernhard's disciple, and many in religious
orders have become bishops and popes. Tell me, what has
become of their vow of poverty ? They are always holy. And
if their vow had not been removable and free before God,
they would certainly have been damned, since they did not
keep their vow until death. Now, popes, cardinals and bishops
always have their own property and do w^ith it what they will ;
which is directly contrary to the vow of poverty, so that being
a pope, cardinal or bishop is considered by everyone as
secular, as over against the monkish orders.
297. Will you say here: They have followed obedience
and have risen to a more perfect order, and do not have their
436 i.uthe:r's church positl.
own property but that of the church in their control? My
dear man, observe what you say; are not these empty words?
Or do you think to stop my mouth with this? Is it not so,
dear brother? I would say, first: Obedience here, obedience
there ; to keep one's vows is God's commandment and obedi-
ence, from which we ought not follow even an angel, as St.
Paul says, Gal. 1,8: "But though we, or an angel from heaven
should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we
have preached unto you, let him be anathema." Also St.
Peter, Acts 5, 29 : "We must obey God rather than man."
Have they now left God's obedience for the sake of the pope's
obedience ? Then they have left heaven for hell. No, you dare
not thus throw away God's commandment and obedience.
Then I too would say that you may depart also from the vow
of chastity for the pope's sake, and set aside all God's com-
mandments. If you can set aside one command of God, for
the sake of men, then you can set them all aside.
298. Secondly, even if the orders of pope, cardinals, and
bishop were a perfect order, we ought nevertheless not free
ourselves from God's commandment. For without God's com-
mandment there is no order, much less a perfect order, but
nothing but error and seduction. Perfection is not contrary to
God's commandment, but it much rather follows God's com-
mandments and sees none but observes all. See, with what
great lies and foolishness the people have to do, that it does
not know what and of what it speaks, that it establishes per-
fection without God's commandment and wishes thereby to
abolish God's commandment. But now because the orders of
pope, bishop, and cardinal form a real aristocracy, and are the
most imperfect, we shall not keep these saints, unless we con-
fess that all vows exist before God only for a time and can be
changed, as we see that this vow of poverty is here changed.
For why should not the vow of chastity be changed on account
of necessity and cause, since it is not vowed more strongly than
poverty? But now let it be that such saints have passed out
of the vow of poverty into the perfect state, then you must
grant me that the state of matrimony is perfect over against
EPIPHANY. 437
the state of unchastity, or against impossible chastity, as St.
Paul says, 1 Cor. 7, 9 : "It is better to marry than to burn."
It is always better to have a lawful wife than to live with a
woman unlawfully or to burn. Well then, let those pass out
into this perfect state of marriage who hold an unchaste
chastity or an imperfect, unwilling state of chastity ; or, if you
will not have that, then your excuse of the perfect state counts
for nothing.
299. In the third place, how can you be so bold as to say
that the vow of poverty is not broken for the reason that they
care not for their own property, but for that of the church.
If that now were true, in what were they better than a secular
servant or official? Why then do you not consider these also
as "religious," since they do not control their own property?
This is empty, foolish chatter. But now is it not true that the
bishops hold property of their own, and that, in respect of
poverty, their life is a thousand miles removed from that of
the monks. Accordingly, nothing can be claimed here, you
must acknowledge that poverty is vowed no further than the
prelate wishes or cause demands, if we would keep our saints.
300. And what is the need of so much round about talk?
It is clear that a man in a religious order vows only the
childish, slavish poverty, which consists in this that he has
no property in his hands; but is subordinate, and takes what
people give him. As soon, however, as he comes into power
and stands before others to administer property he is no longer
under the vow of poverty, unless he is deposed and again be-
comes subordinate. For what difference is there between such
a ruler and the secular housefather or official, as far as having,
using, ruling over and administering property is concerned?
These are only feigned words, as St. Peter says, what men
speak to the contrary: in reality it is a purely secular office,
work and order. Therefore we see that God does not accept
vows, unless they be free and removable ; otherwise no cloister
could have a prelate; so that necessity compels us to support
the cloisters or schools for the training of young people.
301. In the same wav obedience mav and can not be under-
438 tUTHKR^S CHURCH POSITL.
Stood otherwise than as childish and slavish obedience; for
the words of the vow clearly demand obedience to the abbot
or prior. If then one becomes a bishop or prelate, what be-
comes of his vow of obedience ? People must now be obedient
to him, and he is not obedient.
302. Will you again bring forward your foolish pretense
that such a one passes into a higher obedience, or keeps his
heart willing to become again obedient? All this has already
been set aside; for it says: Vovete et Reddite; against this
word there is no gloss; God will not have his command
destroyed for the sake of either higher, middle or lower
obedience. It is clear then that those in the religious orders
vow a subjection, not of the heart, but only of the body; for
the willing subjection of the heart toward everyone is com-
mon to all Christians, as St. Paul says, Rom. 12, 10 : **In love
of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another: in
honor preferring one another." But now again the cloisters
dare have no prelates and supply no bishops; or the word
subjection ends with the vow. See therefore how cleverly
those two vows are called immovable and what fables and
feigned words they use. God allows his saints both to vow and
to live; he suffers their folly; but he does not accept the
fixed vows, as you see from all this discussion; since they
are contrary to Christian liberty and all good order, and exist
only that Satan may have his sport with the unbelieving and
may work his deception in them, as St. Paul teaches.
303. Now there remains only the vow of chastity; that
alone must remain fixed and unchangeable which justly should
be the first of all and most removable. In all the others they
say Vovete et non reddite; here alone it is like iron and steel,
Vovete et reddite. Is not this a horrible perversion ? But Satan
has done it for this reason, that he may the more firmly hold
souls in unchastity, and he grasps just where they are the
weakest and most easily held ; for he saw clearly that all other
vows could be more easily kept. Accordingly he did not insist
upon them; but he insists upon this impossible thing alone,
that he may be sure of his tyranny. Alas, Oh God, what illusion
and foolery does he carry on with the religious orders!
EPIPHANY. 439
304. We find then in the whole "religious" life nothing
fundamental, certain or permanent; everything shakes and
moves without Scripture or reason, so that there is cause
enough that we should run away from the whole thinfg.
There is the especial reason that it has no Scripture founda-
tion, and that it has so many kinds of errors and lies in its
leading points. Moreover, it is so condemned and cursed by
Christ in Matthew 24, by St. Paul in 2 Tim. 3, by St. Peter
in 2 Peter, 2, that, if you had taken ten vows and you saw that
it was the Devil's doing and against God, you would De
obliged to give it up or to vow in a new, free way, as has been
said above.
305. They have one thing that they advance : There have
been holy fathers in the religious orders. But here they should
be terrified when Christ says, that the elect may be deceived
by them, as here the magi were deceived by Herod,
and many other examples. The three children of Israel, Ana-
nias, Azarias and Misael, remained in the fiery oven of Baby-
lon. Naaman the Syrian alone remained pious in the temple
of the false god. Joseph remained pious in Egypt. What shall
I say? St. A^es remained chaste in an ordinary brothel, and
the martyrs remained pious in dungeons, and Christians still
daily remain pious in the flesh, in the world and in the midst
of devils. Could God then not have been able to preserve
Francis, Bernhard and their like in the midst of error, and
although they have sometimes erred to rescue them from this
error again?
306. He has allowed hardly any great saint to live without
error. He allowed Moses and Aaron and Miriam, David,
Solomon and Hezekiah and many more to stumble, that no
one should rely without Scripture upon the mere example and
work of the saints. But we throw in whatever we see and hear
of the saints, and so we come upon and generally find that as
men they have erred in their mfirmity. This error has then to
be for us a fundamental truth, and thus we build on the crooked
wall of which Psalm 62, 3-4 speaks. ''How long will ye set
upon a man, that ye m.ay slay him, all of you ; like a leaning
440 LUTHERS CHURCH POSITL.
wall, like a tottering fence. They only consult to thrust him
down from his dignity; they delight in lies. They bless with
their mouth, but they curse inwardly."
307. But if all other things were good in the priesthood,
the abuse of the mass would be enough to cause one to flee
wherever one hears of it. I think that such abuse of the holy
sacrament is reserved for this order as the worst, most de-
structive, and horrible that has :come upon earth, and which
will be the greatest and last among evil things. Thus they
make out of the mass a sacrifice and a good work which they
sell to people and make all kinds of money out of it. Oh, the
terrible perversion ! What wrath ought it not merit ? Would
tt 3od that all secondary masses were done away with; then
there might be hope that God would be a little more merciful
to us. But now, blinded as we are, we think that we should
commit a great sin if we wxre to drop the masses; and we
intend with such horrible abuse to propitiate and serve God.
Thus there is no end to his wrath, and all our prayer becomes
only sin, as Ps. 109, 1-7 has declared. Only one mass a day
should be held, and this should be treated as a sacrament
for all, yes, one mass a week would be still better. But the
matter cannot be improved ; it is too deeply seated.
308. This utterance I wish to have made for the benefit
of whom will use it; it makes no difference to me if the priests
are angry at and cry over me. I prefer that they should be
angry rather than Christ. I know that I am obliged to advise
and help wretched consciences and souls, and to share with
everyone that which God has given me. I will not leave the
blame upon myself. I shall not be responsible for the man
who does not accept it ; he must take care of himself. He has
my true service and advice so far ; if I could do more for him,
I would do more. Whoever will can enter and remain in a
religious order; but whoever wishes to be saved must see to
it that he becomes a Christian, and let priests and monks be
priests and monks.
309. Here probably the chaste hearts and holy priests of
God, whom nothing pleases except what they themselves speak
EPIPHANV. 441
and write, will pucker up their mouths and say : Oh, how the
cowl presses the monk, how he wishes he had a wife ! But let
them slander and enjoy their malice, the chaste hearts and
great saints ; let them be iron and steel, as thy set themselves up
to be; but do you not deny that you are a man of flesh and
blood, and let God afterward judge between the strong, angelic
heroes and you, the poor, despised sinner. I hope I have come
so far that by the grace of God I shall remain as I am ; althoiigh
I am not yet over the mountain, and I do not venture to com-
pare myself with the chaste hearts. I should be sorry to do this,
and may God in his mercy keep me from it. For if you know
them, who they are who pretend so great chastity and make a
show of discipline, and what it is that St. Paul says, Eph. 5, 12,
"For the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame
even to speak of," you would not consider their much-praised
chastity fit for a whore to wipe her shoe with. Here too
the perversion is found, that the chaste are the unchaste, and
that whatever glitters deceives.
310. Dear youth, do not be ashamed that you desire a girl,
and that the girl desires a boy ; only let this result in marriage,
not unchastity, and then it is no more a disgrace than eating
and drinking. Celibacy ought to be a virtue which happens
among God's miracles, as the instance of a man who neither
eats nor drinks. It is beyond healthy nature, not to mention
sinful, fallen nature. God has not let many virgins live long,
but quickly hastened them out of the world, as Caccilia, Agnes,
Lucia, Agatha and their like, for he well knows how noble the
treasure is, and how difficult it is to preserve long. If in every
city there were five young men and five young women, twenty
years old and entirely pure who had discovered nothing of the
natural flowings, then I could say that Christianity of to-day
were better than in the times of the apostles and martyrs.
311. Alas, Lord God, I consider that in no other way has
unchastity been able to spread faster or more terribly than
through such a command and vow of chastity. What a Sodom
and Gomorrah that the devil established through such a com-
mand and vow, and how altogether vile has he made this same
chastitv to indescribable wretchedness. There is neither the
8^42 luthkr's church postil.
common house of prostitution nor any other allurement so
destructive in this command and vow invented by the devil
himself.
312. Here I shall say something of the boys and girls who
have taken the vow before they felt what flesh and blood are,
when they were only fifteen, sixteen or twenty years old. These
should be taken out at once, if they so desire ; for their vow is
as yet nothing at all, as if a child had engaged itself to marry.
Here the Shrove-Tuesday consecration is not to be regarded,
whether the man be a priest, a deacon or hold any other reli-
gions rank. Such consecration is jugglery and counts for
nothing with God. But enough of this, let us come again to
our subject, where we left it.
313. When the wise men came fron Herod, and turned to
Bethlehem, the star appeared to them again, and they became
very glad. This always happens when, after the error and de-
ception of human teaching, the heart comes again to the know-
ledge of the pure truth and of the Gospel. Then at once it is
free from Herod and sees how altogether certain and light the
way of the truth is, over against the appearances that the He-
rodians pretend ; so the heart is made glad. For the Gospel is a
comforting doctrine, which leads us out of human presumption
into the confidence of the pure grace of God, as Ps. 4, 7-8 says.
314. Again, all who wander in the teachings of men and
and in their own strength lead a hard, anxious life, and still it
does not help them. What heart should not rejoice to discover
that the pope's rule is merely trouble and burden for the con-
science, and that it deceives the whole world with its pretense.
Heavenly light and truth has this nature, that it lifts up the
conscience, comforts the heart, and creates a free spirit; just
as on the other hand the teaching of men naturally oppresses
the conscience, tortures the heart and, quenches the spirit.
315. The star thus goes before them and does not leave
them until it brings them to Christ, yet it goes no farther, but
remains at rest over where the child is. So too the light of the
holy gospel does; it is as a light in the darkness, as St. Peter
calls it, 2 Pet. 1, 19, and goes before us and leads us, if we
only cherish it with a strong faith, it does not leave us until it
Epiphany. 448
brings us to Christ and to the truth ; but it goes no further, for
beside Christ it teaches us nothing.
316. Accordingly, in this leading of a star the manner and
work of the Gospel is shown, and through the wise men all
believers; so that, as the star led them bodily to Christ, and
they followed it in the body, so the gospel spiritually guides
the hearts of men in this world, and believing hearts see it and
follow it with joy until they come to Christ.
So too St. Paul boasts, 1 Cor. 2, 2, "For I determined not
to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him cru~
cified." And in Col. 2, 8, he forbids us to follow any doctrine
which does not teach Christ. What else is this than that the
star points to Christ alone, and nothing else, and goes no far-
ther? In this figure, therefore, all doctrines of men are con-
demned, and should no longer be preached to Christians, but
only the pure, simple light of the Gospel, is to be preached and
we should follow this star only. Therefore pope, bishops,
priests, and monks, with all their rule and teachings, are here
condemned, and are to be avoided as the tyranny of Herod.
317. Here too the mouth of the Papists and Herodians is
closed, and their lies rightly punished, since they teach with
deliberate sacrilege that we can find the Christian church
and faith only with them ; and whoever does not hear them,
should be considered as if he did not hear the Christian church.
They wish to be the sign and the star that leads to Christ, but
this is all a lie. Do you wish to know where Christ and the
truth are? Learn that here from this history. Do not look to
the pope nor to the bishops, nor to the universities and mona-
steries, do not be led astray by their abundant preaching, pray-
ing, singing and holding of masses ; do not mind that they sit
in the place of the apostles and usurp spiritual jurisdiction:
that may all deceive, and does deceive continuously ; they are in
error and teach error. There is only one sure sign whereby you
can recognize where Christ and his church are, namely, the
star, the holy Gospel ; all else is false. But where the Gospel
is preached, there this star shines, there Christ certainly is,
there you surely find the Church, whether it be in Turkey,
444 Luther's church posTit.
Russia, Bohemia, or anywhere else. It is not possible that
God's word should be heard, and God, Christ and the Holy
Ghost not to be there. On the other hand it is not possible that
God, Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Clnirch, or anything holy
should be where God's Word is not heard, even if they worked
all miracles; but there can be only Herodians and the devil's
rule at such a place. Now everyone can see how the pope and
the clergy are occupied not with God's Word but with human
teaching.
''A7id they came into the house and sazv the young child
zi'ith Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him."
319. This house is the Christian church, the assembly of
all believers on earth, in which alone you can find Christ and
his mother; for in the Christian church alone are those who.
being filled by the Holy Ghost, bring forth the fruits of Christ-
ianity and lead a Christian life. Everything that is outside of
this house, however beautiful it may appear, however reason-
able it may be, has neither Christ nor his mother ; that is, there
is no Christian there, for these cannot exist without faith and
the Holy Ghost.
320. Therefore, if the pope, bishops, or anyone else de-
mand of you that you should look to them, if you wish to see
the church, then think of this Gospel, and look to the star. Be
assured that where the star does not stand there is not the hous«
where Christ and his mother are to be found. In other words,
where the Gospel does not give its light, there the Christian
church is certainly not found. This star will never fail you,
and without it you will never arrive at the right place. It leads
to this house and remains over this house, and just so the Gos-
pel brings you into the church, and remains over the church,
keeping its place and not letting itself be driven away by any
persecution. Here it sounds and shines freely and clearly, to
the vexation of all its enemies, as we see entirely fulfilled in
the apostles, martyrs, and all saints, and still daily, where it
is preached.
And opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts,
gold and frankincense and myrrh.
ßPIPHANY. 445
321. All bodily sacrifices in the law of Moses, wherever
they occure, point to the spiritual sacrifice of which Heb. 13, 15,
speaks. "Through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to
God continually, that is, the fruit of the lips which make con-
fession to his name." And Hosea 14,2-3: "O Israel, return
unto Jehovah thy God ; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah ; say unto him,
Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good," that
is, take away the evil, which thou bringest over us through thy
hand, and take the good into thy hand, that thou mayest give it
to us ; so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips,"
that is, praise and thanksgiving. These are the true bullocks
that we should offer thee, of which also Ps. 51,21 spearks :
''Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: Build thou the
walls of Jerusalem. Then wilt thou delight in the sacrifices
of righteousness, then will they offer bullocks thine altar."
Also Ps. 50, 7-15 : "Hear, O Israel, I am thy God. I will not
reprove thee for thy sacrifices. What will you offer me ? Will
I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats ? If I were
hungry I would not tell thee : For the world is mine, and all
the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field.
Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving ; and pay thy vows
unto the highest. The sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me,
and that is the way to salvation." From these verses w^e can
see that sacrifice, if it is to find favor before God, must be praise
and thanksgiving, or at least not without praise and thanks-
giving. And where a sacrifice is offered without praise and
thanksgiving, he will reject it, as he says, Jes. 1, 11 : "What
unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices ? I have had enough
of the burnt offerings."
322. Moreover we could not give God anything else, for
everything is his already, and we have everything from him;
praise thanks and honor only we can give him. So also Ps.
116,12-13 teaches: "What shall 1 render unto Jehovah for
all his benefits towards m.e? I will take the cup of salvation
and call upon the name of Jehovah. Thou hast loosed my
bonds, I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving." Now
praise is nothing else than recognizing the favor received from
446 I^UTHßR's CHURCH POSTIU
God, and ascribing this, not to ourselves, but to him. And this
praise and confession is rendered in two ways ; first before God
alone, and then before men, and is a true work and fruit of
faith. St. Paul teaches of this in Rom. 10,9-10: "If thou
shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe
in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." This
is as though St. Paul were to say : That is not the true faith,
if you were to believe in Christ secretly in your heart and
praise him in some hidden place ; you must freely confess him
with your mouth before everyone, even as you believe in your
heart. This perhaps may cost you your life. For devils and
men do not like to hear such confession, and the cross goes with
such confession, as you see that even now the pope, bishops,
priests, and monks cannot bear or endure Christ's Word, so
that the prophet well says: *'I will take the wholesome cup,
and preach the name of the Lord." This is as though he were
to say: If I praise and confess God, they will afflict and per-
secute me with the cup of the martyrs; well, I will take it in
God's name, and not cease from praising God. He will not
harm me, but will be a saviour to me, and help me quickly to
salvation. This Christ too will do, Mark 8,38, ''For who-
soever shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulter-
ous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be asham-
ed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with
the holy angels."
323. Many have commented upon these three offerings,
one in this way, another in that, yet all agree that it is a three-
fold confession. Therefore we shall take from all what seems
true to us. The offering of gold, they say, means that they
confess Christ as king ; the frankincense that he is a priest ; the
myrrh, that he died and was buried. All three articles apply
to Christ according to his human nature ; yet so that he is God,
and that such things have happened to his humanity because
of his divinity.
324. In the first place, the Christian faith confesses and
rejoices that Christ is a king and lord over all things, according
EPIPHANY. 447
to the sayings of Ps. 8, 6 : "Thou makest him to have do-
minion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things
under his feet."
Also Ps. 110,1: "Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou
at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
This confesion of the true faith is a high and strong de-
fense and boast for all who believe in Christ against all that
is against them, though it be, as St. Paul says, Rom. 8, 36,
sword, hunger, cold or any other creature. Who can injure
or terrify a Christian, if he offers this gold, believes and con-
fesses that his Lord Christ is Lord also over death, hell, over
the devils and over all other creatures, and that everything lies
in his hands, yes, under his feet ?
325. If anyone has a gracious prince, he fears nothing that
is under the power of this prince, he boasts of glories and de-
clares his master's favor and power. How much more does a
Christian boast and glory against pain, death, hell, and the
devil, and say confidently to him : What can you do to me ?
Are you not under the feet of my Lord? Attach and devour
me without his will ! See, such a free heart makes this offering
of gold. Oh, how rare has that become ! Therefore it is truly
comforting, if anything terrifies or injures you, to come out
openly, confess Christ and say. Omnia subjecisti sub pedibus
ejus, all things are under his feet ; who will then be against me ?
326. In the second place, they use incense in divine services,
according to the law of Moses, to burn incense in the temple,
which pertains to the office of priest. Therefore, to offer in-
cense is nothing else than to recognize Christ as a priest who
is an intercessor between God and us, as St. Paul says, Rom.
8, 34, that he speaks for us, and is our intercessor before God,
which is most necessary for us. For through his kingdom and
rule he protects us against evil in all things ; but through his
priesthood he defends us against all sin and the wrath of God,
takes his place before us, and offers himself to propitiate God,
that we through him may have confidence toward God, and
that our conscience may not be terrified before his wrath and
judgment, as St. Paul says, Rom. 5,12: "Through him we
have peace with God and access by faith into his grace."
448 i,uthe;r's church postii..
327. Now this is a much greater thing, that he makes us
safe toward God and sets our consciences at peace, that God
and ourselves are not at enmity, than that he should make the
creatures harmless to us. For guilt is much greater than pain,
and sin than death, since sin brings death, and without sin
there would be no death, or it would not be injurious. As
Christ is now Lord over sin and death, and has it in his power
to give grace and life to all who believe on him; so to offer
gold and incense is to recognize these two offices and works
of his, and to thank him, as St. Paul does, 1 Cor. 15,55-56:
"O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?
The sting of death is sin ; and the power of sin is the law ; but
thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ."
828. This is surely a strong defense, that a man can set
this high priest against his sin, against his bad conscience,
against God's terrible anger and judgment, and with unshaken
faith say and confess: Tu es saderdos in aeternum, thou art
a high priest forever. But, if thou art a high priest, thou in-
terecedest for all sin of those who confess you as such a priest.
As little as God's judgment and anger, sin and a bad conscience
may condemn or terrify you, do they condemn and terrify me,
for whom thou art such a priest. See, this is to offer true in-
cense, to be undismayed against all sin and the wrath of God
through faith in Christ.
329. In the third place, they used myrrh to anoint dead
bodies, that they should not corrupt in the grave. Therefore
the death and resurrection of Christ are here set forth ; since it is
he alone who died and was buried and is not corrupted, but
arose again from the dead, as Ps. 16,10 says: "For thou
wilt not leave my soul to Sheol, neither wilt thou suffer thy
holy one to see corruption." And his incorruptibility is indi-
cated through all who are preserved and kept through bodily
myrrh. Accordingly to offer myrrh is as much as to confess
that Christ died and yet remained incorrupt, that is, that death
has been overcome by life, and that he never died according to
his divinity, and that his human nature again awoke from death.
330. This confession is the most important of all the three,
EPIPHANY. 449
although all three are necessary and must be undivided. For,
since he has become a king and priest for you, and given you
so great a possession, you must not think that it has been
done in vain, or that it has cost little, or come to you through
your own merit. Sin and death have been overcome for you
in him and through him, and grace and life given you ; but it
was bitter for him, and cost him much, and has been bought
for a high price, namely, with his own blood, body, and life.
For it was impossible to put away God's wrath and judg-
ment, conscience, hell, death, and every evil thing, divine
righteousness must be satisfied, sin atoned for, and death over-
come by justice. Accordingly it was St. Paul's practice, when
he preached God's grace in Christ, to mention his suffering
and blood together, that he might show how all our good
things have been given through Christ, but not without his
unspeakable merit and cost, as he says, Rom. 3, 25 : "God
has set him forth, to be a propitiation through faith." Also,
1 Cor. 2, 2 : "For I determined not to know anything among
you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified," etc. Therefore
to offer myrrh is to confess the great cost and pains that it
meant for Christ to become our priest and king.
331. See, these are the three parts in which we should
praise and confess his three works which he has shown us,
and will show us daily until the day of judgment. And the
order too is fine: but the evangelist puts gold in the first
place. For it would not be possible that he should be king
over all things for our good, if he had not first reconciled us
to God and assured our conscience, that with calm and peace
he might rule and work in us as in his own kingdom. Ac-
cordingly he must first be priest for us. But, if he is to be
priest and to reconcile us to God according to his priestly
office, he must fulfil God's righteousness for us. But there was
no other satisfaction ; he had to give himself to death, and
in his own person overcome sin with death. So too through
death he came to the priesthood, through his priesthood to
the kingdom, thus receiving the myrrh before the incense,
and the incense before the gold. But the Scripture at all
times declares the kingdom to be first, then the priesthood,
450 luthick's church fostil.
and finally his death,.s Ps. 110, 1-7 also does, which Psalm
describes for the first time his kingdom as follows : ''Jehovah
saith unto my lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make
thine enemies thy footstool." It follows then from his priest-
hood thus: "Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou
art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Finally
he closes with his martyrdom thus: "He will drink of the
brook in the way: Therefore will he lift up his head." Here
too he wishes to say : He will taste the myrrh, therefore he will
become a priest; he is a priest, and therefore he will also
be king; so that one follows from the other; one is the cause
of the other, and they follow one upon another.
332. With these simple and plain interpretations I let the
matter rest, and commend the lofty considerations to people
of leisure. Here it concerns us most to have care that we
do not take any one of these three confessions alone, but
offer them together. And although Isaiah 60, 6, speaks of
gold and incense only, and is silent about the myrrh, it may
readily be on this account, namely, that Christ's kingdom
and priesthood have been from the beginning of the world,
as St. Paul says. Heb. 13, 8 : "Jesus Christ is the same yester-
day and today, yea and for ever." For all the saints have been
redeemed from death and sin through him and his faith ; and
yet at that time the third part, his passion, the myrrh, had not
yet been accomplished, which properly belonged to the evan-
gelist to announce after its fulfilment.
333. But the Herodians and Papists have not only sep-
arated these three offerings, but also by an unspeakable out-
rage have destroyed them, retaining, however, the names and
confessing with words that Christ is a king and priest, and
that he has died for us. However, with other, contradictory
words they deny all this with the heart and their whole life,
and condemn it in the most shameful way. We, to observe
such a thing, have begun with the myrrh, but they teach that
man, without the grace of God, of himself and from the natural
power of his reason and free will, may make himself worthy
and receptive of divine favor. What else is this than to de-
EPIPHANY. 451
sire, without Christ's blood and suffering, to satisfy through
one's own act the divine righteousness, to appease the worth
and judgment of God, and to give the conscience peace? This
is indeed to make nothing of Christ's blood and all his suffer-
ing, yea, his whole humanity and all his work, to regard them
as useless and to tread them under foot, of which St. Paul says,
Heb. 6, 5-6 : ''It is impossible to renew to repentance those
who fell away; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of
God afresh, and put him to an open shame." For without
Christ there is no grace nor repentance, but wrath only. Nev-
ertheless the Papists teach that we can seek and find grace
without him. Accordingly the offering of myrrh is entirely
done away with.
334. Then the offering of incense must first cease to be.
For how shall Christ be their priest and intercessor, if they
are so good and pure that they do not need his blood and in-
tercession, but intercede through themselves, and stand of
themselves before God, and attain grace and eternal life
through their own ability?
Thereby they confess and teach that natural ability is
pure and good, and therefore Christ need not be priest. Who
would ever have believed that Christians would arrive at such
a stage when some one would teach and hear such things
which are dreadful to think of?
335. But now we see that all higher schools as well as the
pope and his clergy do not teach and hold differently, yes, they
condemn as heresy whatever does not conform to their teach-
ing. How clearly has Peter described them, w^hen he says,
2 Pet. 2, 1 : "Among you also there shall be false teachers,
denying even the Master that bought them." He does not
say: They will deny Christ, but: "the Master that bought
them ;" as if he wished to say : Christ they will confess with
words; but they will not regard him as having bought them
with his blood ; but without his blood they will redeem them-
selves, through their own natural power they will attain God's
grace, which Christ alone has bought for us all with his blood.
This is what thev mean, when thev sav that is costs and affords
452: Luther's church positi..
nothing to attain God's grace. Therefore they wish to redeem
themselves and can not bear to hear of Christ's redemption.
336. Where, however, Christ is not acknowledged as priest,
there he is much less acknowledged as king. For they are in
no wise subject to him, they are their own masters, that is,
the devirs own household. Although they do not suffer him
to rule over them and to exercise his power in them, he is
nevertheless a king, priest, and redeemer, without their con-
sent, over all creatures. Behold, thus you see that now is
the time when St. Peter thrice denies Christ. Would to God
that they would hear the cock's crow, that they would recover
from their error, acknowledge their fall, cry bitterly, and go
out from the house of Caiphas, that is, out from the diabolical
assembly of the pope, where the fire of wordly love has been
kindled, and where the pope's household is to warm itself;
for the divine love is utterly extinguished in them. Let this
suffice of the spiritual offerings. We come now to :
And being wmned of God in a dream that they should not
return to Herod, they departed into their omn country another
way.
337. This is the outcome and end, namely, that we are to
shun human teaching, and are not to relapse into it, when we
have once been redeemed therefrom ; just as the wise men,
having once been freed from Herod, do not return to him. Thus
I also say that we are to shun the pope's and all Papists' law
and teaching, if we do not wish to incur God's displeasure and
hazard our soul's salvation, since we have already experienced
the true evangelical truth. For their teaching brings us away
from God and makes us follow our own reason and work.
Thereby God's work is hindered, who should and would give
us and work in us all things, and who desires us also to ex-
pect that of him.
338. Human teaching, however, leads us so that we just
begin all works, desire to be the first ones to seek God, and
that we then expect God to come afterwhile and to look at
what we have begun. Let me give you this for an example:
Those that seem to be the best teachers of young people say
EPIPHANY. 453
to them that they are wiUing to pray and to go to church,
to Hve ichaste, and to be pious ; however, they do not tell them
where they are to begin and to seek all this; just as it were
enough that they had instructed them to be pious. Again,
when after this they are to marry or to enter orders, they
think it is enough that they themselves have begun, they do
not look at God, neither do they consult him about it; but,
when they have begun, then they want God to come, to see
what they have made and to be satisfied with it.
339. Yes, the young people are educated so that a girl is
ashamed to ask God for a young man, and a young man to
ask God for a girl ; they consider it foolish to ask God for a
such a thing, they want to do it themselves. Ought not a girl
to be taught with all earnestness to come to God and to say
with all confidence : See, dear God, I have become old enough
to marry, be thou my Father and let me be thy child, give me
a pious young man, and graciously help me to enter the estate
of matrimony, or, if it pleases thee, give me a spirit to remain
chaste. Thus also a young man is to ask for a girl, and is to
begin nothing himself, but is to ask God that he may begin
and to lay the first stone. These would be true children of
God indeed, who begin nothing but consult God about it, no
matter how insignificant it may be. Thus Christ would re-
main our king, and all our works would be his works and
would be done well. But human teachings do not allow this,
they act as if there is no God, and as if they would have to do
whatever is to be done well. Behold, from these examples
you can learn, how all human teaching is seductive and against
God.
340. There are, however, three ways in which human
teaching can be avoided: first, that it is avoided by the con-
science only and not by the deed. For instance, when I con-
fess, pray, and fast acording to the pope's canon, not as if it
were necessary for us to do so, or as if it were sin, if I were
not to do it; but when I do it willingly, of my own accord,
not compelled by necessity, when I can leave it undone, if I
wish so. Here the deed is under human teaching, but the con-
454 LUTHKR^S CHURCH POSTIL.
science is free, it considers the doing no more nor no less
than the not doing, it does not think it a sin to neglect it, nor
a good work to do it; for it is not obedient but docs it of its
own accord. This is the best way.
841. Thus the wise men are still in Herod's land, they
also travel under his rule, but they do not regard him, do not
come to him, and are not obedient to him. He, therefore,
who now also is under the pope, and who observes his law,
not for the sake of obedience, but of his own accord, how, when,
where, and as long as he pleases, he, I say, suffers no harm.
This understanding, however, is above the average mind and is
found with but few people, and as it was given to the wise
men secretly in their sleep, so we experience it only in our
heart through God's Spirit ; it can not be given to anyone with
a heart from without, if the heart itself does not receive it from
heaven.
342. The second way is that human teaching is avoided
by the conscience as well as by deeds, as those do who trample
it under foot and only do the contrary with a glad secure con-
science. And this way is the most necessary and best for weak
consciences that they may J^e liberated and made strong, per-
fect, and free, as the foregoing. This can not be very readily
accomplished with words and conscience alone, if ;'ou do not
show the contrary by examples ; just as Christ did, who allowed
his disciples, contrary to the law of the Pharisees, to neglect
to wash their hands. Thus it were good, if we would neglect
the prescribed confession, prayer, and fasting for a certain
time and show by examples that the pope's laws are foolery
and deception, and if we would at another time do all this of
our own accord.
343. The third way Is that it is avoided by the deed alone
and not by the conscience, as those do who boldly neglect
human teaching and still believe that they do wrong in not
observing it. And alas, such a conscience is ever to be found
among the common people. For their sake St. Paul calls these
times grievous times, 2 Tim. 3, 1. For such consciences sin
continually whether they observe or do not observe, and the
pope with his law is the murderer of their souls and the cause
ßPIPHANY. 455
of such danger and sin. If they observe, they do it against
faith, which is to be free from all human teaching. If they
do not observe, they do it against their conscience which be-
lieves that it must be observed. It is necessary that these are
well instructed in the free Christian faith, and that they put
aside this false conscience, or^ if they are not able to do this,
that we bear their infirmities for a time as St. Paul teaches,
Rom. 15, 1, and that we suffer them to follow and observe
such a conscience together with faith, till they also have be-
come large and strong.
344. Behold, this is the other way to depart into one's
own country and not to return to Herod. For generally,
when people begin to be pious, they do it through human
teaching and outward holiness, but we must abandon this
and come to pure faith and not suffer ourselves again to fall
from faith into works. Thus we surely come into our father-
land, from which we have come, that is, to God, by whom we
have been created. The end thus comes together with the be-
ginning as in a golden ring. God grant this through Christ,
our king and priest, who be blessed to all eternity.*
* This sermon closes that part of the Postil which Luther edited
in 1522. Therefore we find the following words at the end of this
part: "Here we will tarry for a while that this book may not be-
come too large and that the reader may not be wearied. I hope
though that in the twelve Epistles and Gospels the Christian life
has fully been pictured, that a Christian has been instructed enough
in what is necessary for salvation. Oh, would to God, that my
interpretation and that of all teachers perish and that every Chris-
tian himself would read only the Scriptures and the pure Word
of God. You can see for yourself from your sermons how incom-
parably better the Word of God is than the word of any man and
how no man with all his w^ords is able sufficiently to expound and
interpret a single Word of God. It is an infinite Word whch must
be comprehended and contemplated with a still spirit, as we read
in the 84th Psalm: I will hear what God himself says in me. And
no one but such a still contemplating spirit is able to comprehend
it. For him w^ho could attain this without glasses and interpre-
tations, my glasses and those of other men would be unnecessary,
yes, would be but a hindrance. Therefore into the Scriptures, into
the Scriptures, dear Christians, and let my interpretation and that
of other teachers be but a scaffold for the true structure that we
may comprehend and taste the pure unadulterated Word of God
and remain there. For there alone God lives in Zion. Amen."
|KE,AD LUTHER! I
«je J,
I The Faith of the Fathers in the Language of the Children! *
+ "The Stondard Edition of Luther's Works in English,** edited by f
♦ J. N. Lenker, D. D., in connection with leading scholars of all T
^ parts of the church. Each volume contains a valuable practical in- «f
♦ troduction. Beautifully and substantially bound in uniform size +
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4» "New York Observer'^ of Nov. 17: "i,uther is in the best sense modern, up-to-date, 4»
+ the prophet of our own times. It is marvelous how he treats the problems of today. 4*
♦ The monk who once shook the world needs but the opportunity to shake it again, the 4*
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I Commentary on the first Twenty-two Psalms ♦
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«|i This is one of Luther*S best works, it ought to find its way into the libraries of ^
41 all Lutheran pastors and intelligent laymen.— Luther himself wrote: "There is no 4.
41 book of the Bible in which I have been so much exercised as in the Psalms." This is 4>
41 recommendation enough. Luther, however, needs no recommendation. The high- 1^
^ est recommendation of Luther's writings are the writings themselves. if
t Commentary on Genesis *
^ Vol. I. The Creation. 448 pp. Revised, enlarged, parts retrans- %
4» lated and edited in complete form by J. N. Lenker, D. D 2.25 4»
+ As his "Commentary on the Psalms" was the great work of Luther's early lifo, so his «^
▼ "Commentary on Genesis''' was the great work of the last ten years of his life, being, J
▼ as it has been called, his Swan Song, or his "It is Finished." Kirchner says: "In this v
T book theologians must go to school and no one will ever graduate in it" y
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% Church Postil, Trinity Gospels %
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Luther, Martin
The precious and sacred writings of Mart
BR 330 . E5 1903 10
Luther, Martin, 1483-1546.
The precious and saci^ed
writings of Martin Luther
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